Medical school has been one of the many successful collaborations that Nicole Delaloye and Tamara Yee have been involved in and led. Prior to medical school, Nicole and Tamara had achieved impressive academic and professional pursuits in the field of interdisciplinary teamwork. Nicole’s previous work (masters) on interdisciplinary team dynamics in the workplace has made her an invaluable asset in understanding where we have been, where we are now and what the future could be in the field. Her experience with simulation has allowed its incorporation into team building activities, which student participants have greatly valued.
Tamara’s extensive career in health care and PhD studies has been instrumental in helping her understand the unique dynamics of effective collaboration. She has extensive understanding and experience in management and organization of professionals, which has been a valuable skill in making these experiences efficient and structured, while staying enjoyable.
This passion has allowed Nicole and Tamara to lead and develop the Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) group at the Cumming School of Medicine. They have been able to connect with students who are training in nursing, respiratory therapy, paramedics, social work and other professions to run simulations, to learn from each other, and – most importantly – to build a deep respect for each other’s knowledge and skill. Their program has brought together students from multiple educational institutions to collaborate on how teamwork can be better implemented in future practice.
Nicole and Tamara have consistently demonstrated their commitment to developing healthy, thriving workplace environments through facilitating effective teamwork. They are ambitious and willing to take the time needed to make their endeavors successful. For example, they have developed an evidence-based and actionable curriculum on interdisciplinary simulation training that has been beneficial to all of its participants.
After witnessing their leadership, getting involved in IPC myself, and getting to know Nicole and Tamara, I quickly recognized that their partnership was exactly what was needed for this program to truly take root and continue to develop. They work together seamlessly and make themselves available whenever necessary to create opportunities for development. Their thorough understanding of system-level barriers and unwavering generosity with their time have made possible what seemed insurmountable. Upon reflecting with colleagues about Nicole and Tamara’s continued commitment to making our class, education, and future workplace successful through teamwork, we overwhelmingly felt they deserved this spotlight.
In our educational pursuits, it has become easy to focus on personal goals and desired disciplines. Nicole and Tamara continue to bring great value to our program by enabling us to see the perspective of other roles and the ways we can all work together to create a more vibrant and effective health care environment. Nicole and Tamara are faithful advocates for teamwork and collaboration who I believe will continue to be trailblazers in their respective careers.