Maine Rural Healthcare Education Grand Rounds
The MERGE Collaborative, in partnership with the Building-ME Network, is proud to host the Maine Rural Healthcare Education Grand Rounds. Each month, on the second Friday at 12:00 PM, a guest presenter leads a session on a healthcare education topic with a focus on supporting healthcare educators in rural Maine.
These sessions are offered virtually at no charge. Clicking the button below gives direct access to the Microsoft TEAMS meeting.
Next Presentation
December 12th, 2025 – 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Delivering High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care Across Diverse Populations: Practical Strategies for Today’s Healthcare Environment
Presented by Tonya Bailey-Curry, LCSW
Cultural Inclusivity Consultant for the MERGE Collaborative
This 30-minute virtual session will address Maine’s diverse populations and actionable steps for educators and organizations to support healthcare learners in a way that addresses provider and patient diversity. Participants will be able to:
- Identify clinical and operational factors that contribute to gaps in patient experience, health outcomes, and access across different patient groups.
- Apply communication strategies that build trust and rapport with patients from varied backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences
- Implement practical approaches to reduce barriers to care, improve patient adherence, and enhance safety.
- Use data and patient feedback to recognize patterns that indicate unequal experiences or outcomes and respond ethically and effectively.
- Integrate culturally responsive practices to support better decision-making, diagnosis accuracy, and team collaboration.
Tonya Bailey-Curry is a licensed clinical social worker and a DEIA practitioner. She is an Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Student Center for Belonging and Community at Bates College. In her role, Tonya is responsible for creating a vision and strategic plan to design, implement, and assess a set of robust, cohesive, and integrated programs that foster the academic, co-curricular, personal, and postgraduate success of students from historically underrepresented identities, including students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and first-generation college students. Tonya also serves as a consultant and member of the MERGE Executive Council, which oversees the fiduciary and strategic vision for the MERGE Collaborative.
- The 2026 Series will be announced soon!
All Maine Rural Healthcare Education Grand Rounds sessions are recorded and made available on our YouTube Channel. Click the button below to browse and view the archives.
