Establishing the Health Sciences Interprofessional Student Garden

The University of Minnesota health interprofessional well-being initiative, BeWELL, conducted a survey in 2020 to gauge interest in initiatives and programming and found that gardening was in the top three preferences expressed by health professional students. As no garden existed on the east bank campus, BeWELL, in conjunction with the Center for Health Interprofessional Programs (CHIP), established an interprofessional student-led garden. The garden aims to provide an outlet for health professional students, promoting wellness and organic relationships across disciplines. In pursuit of these aims, we gathered a team of student leaders from four different health professional programs. Student leadership budgeted startup funds to design and construct raised garden beds. We sought out mentorship from health professionals with gardening expertise to help guide the construction and planting of the garden. We are building partnerships with organizations tackling food insecurity and nutrition education, such as a food pantry targeted to university students, to frame the garden as a community and educational resource. In April 2022, the garden student leadership hosted a grand opening event to build awareness for the garden amongst graduate and professional health sciences students. Nearly 200 students representing 18 different health professional programs attended. Many students expressed enthusiasm for the garden and were eager to get involved. Of the 110 students who signed up for the event raffle, 67% indicated an interest in participating in the garden. Further, over 225 students have signed up to receive communications from the interprofessional garden over the past year. As we move into the first summer growing season, we will engage interested students in weekly Tuesday night “Plant & Chat” events where students can drop by the garden to weed, water, and socialize. When student organizations are siloed in a single health professional school, students do not have the opportunity to build natural social connections with their future colleagues across disciplines. Further, students can become better members of health care teams by building mutual respect, trust, and communication through gardening as a team. The garden presents a unique opportunity for students to gather around a shared interest, learn new skills, and build a greater community in healthcare.