Seton Hall Professor Earns National Grant for Interprofessional Research

Leslie A. Rippon, Ph.D., ATC, associate professor in the Department of Athletic Training at Seton Hall University's School of Health and Medical Sciences (SHMS), has been awarded a $26,000 research grant from the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP).

Rippon is one of two recipients nationwide selected for ASAHP's 2026 Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grants, which total $53,000 this year. The awards support innovative research with strong potential to advance interprofessional collaboration across the health professions.

Rippon's project, "Developing Student Readiness for Contemporary Healthcare Environments: An Interprofessional Cross-Institutional Approach to SDOH," uses virtual reality simulation to prepare students to address the social determinants of health that shape patient outcomes.

Rippon said the project builds on several years of her research combining two areas: using AI to create virtual patients and designing virtual environments that would be difficult to replicate in the physical world. 

The grant will support the development and delivery of immersive programming that builds on Rippon's ongoing work with AI-enabled virtual patients, furthering Seton Hall's commitment to curricula that keep students professionally prepared for team-based care.

"Through this collaboration, I aim to enhance students' understanding of the social determinants of health by providing immersive, experiential learning opportunities that foster deeper engagement and empathy," she said.

Rippon said the project is designed to push students to look beyond their own frame of reference. "I hope this project provides students with an opportunity to reflect on their own perspectives while also exploring experiences that may differ significantly from their own," she continued. "By doing so, students can develop a broader understanding of the factors that shape health outcomes and learn to view patients through a more informed, empathetic and inclusive lens."

Rippon will present her research at the 2027 ASAHP Annual Conference. Read the original ASAHP announcement.

Learn more about Seton Hall's accredited, two-year M.S. in Athletic Training program. 

Categories: Health and Medicine, Nation and World, Research