Education
A key component of the UF Rainbow Center's mission is education--education of patients, their families, health professionals and the community in general. Education empowers individuals with awareness and understanding of HIV, which in turn builds a strong knowledge base for them to draw from and make confident decisions. This emphasis on education works toward the common goal of decreasing the transmission of HIV, and providing comprehensive care to HIV infected patients.
Our center provides five broad types of education and serves as the region's HIV/AIDS Education Training Site for the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center:
- Patient education targeting health education, medication adherence and risk reduction behavior;
- Physician training through a mini-residency/preceptorship program at the Rainbow Center clinic, Continuing Medical Education rounds and the UF Jacksonville Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship Program;
- Health professional training (nurses, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists and other health professionals) through the clinic's mini-residency, license certification training and CME, GME and nursing CE lectures and workshops;
- Prevention of perinatal transmission (TOPWA/AETC) education to OB/GYN practitioners and labor and delivery and birthing center's staff;
- Community organization outreach education.
The Rainbow Center offers education on prevention, testing and counseling, diagnosis, management, treatments, legal issues, psychosocial issues and what resources are available. The center also focuses on building relationships and educating community organizations, which in turn educate its members, employees and clients.
