Ecohealth Quest Retreats

Exploring Sustainability through Collaboration

Ecohealth Quests are intensive, fun multi-day collaborative learning retreats for health sciences students.

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2024-2025 Retreats

Ecohealth Quest: Headwaters at Itasca

Oct. 18-20, 2024: Itasca State Park/UMN IBSL

Ecohealth Quest: North Shore

Nov. 8-10, 2024: Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center

Ecohealth Quest: Greater Twin Cities

March 28-29, 2025: Baker Park Reserve

Ecohealth Quest: Headwaters at Itasca

April 4-6, 2025: Itasca State Park/UMN IBSL

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Experiences that foster appreciation for ecohealth principles and geopolitical considerations in health.

Ecohealth Quest Objectives

Collaboratively identify actionable strategies to improve health through analysis of the complex epidemiological, geopolitical, social, ecological, other global contributions to human and animal health.
Explore and critique the unique cultures, values, roles/responsibilities, and expertise of other health professions and the impact these factors can have on health outcomes.
Actively engage with community organizations supporting rural health to learn from, with, and about the integration of population health approaches within and outside of the health system.
Advance their own professional and interprofessional competency development through shared population-focused problem solving using available evidence and reflective team-based practices.
Experience the personal wellbeing benefits of nature.

Participants sitting around a fire during an Itasca Ecohealth IPE Experience

Students Get Out of the Classroom and Into Nature to Learn about Ecohealth

June 25, 2024

Learners explored unique cultures, values, roles and responsibilities, and expertise of other health professions and the impact these factors can have on health outcomes. Learn more.

Participation in this experience will be included on your 1Health Interprofessional Education transcript and may be considered for IPE Scholars requirements.

The agenda includes small group problem-solving sessions focuses on an in-depth ecohealth case study, engagement with faculty experts, and guided nature experiences (weather permitting). Topics include environmental and ecosystem health, rural health, and social epidemiology.

All accepted participants must commit to full engagement and attendance. Space in this experience is extremely limited; a waitlist approach will be used to ensure broad representation of programs.

Important Details

Applications for the Fall 2024 retreats will be accepted on a rolling basis until capacity is reached for each trip. See final deadlines by trip above.
Student lodging and meal costs will be covered by the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs.
Participants will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the location of their retreat. Group contact information will be shared so that carpooling can be arranged if desired.
Experiences will be held at parks and nature centers. Participants will stay in on-site lodging.
- Itasca participants stay in shared heated cabins with full plumbing and kitchens. View Itasca example lodging photos.
- North Shore participants stay at one of the Wolf-Ridge lodges, which includes shared rooms with comfortable furnishings and everyday amenities (heat, plumbing, etc).
Lodging and meals will be arranged following participant selection. Attendees may participate in meal preparation, clean-up, etc. throughout the weekend.
Take a look at the breakdown for the weekend in the Sample Weekend Schedule. (subject to change)

Questions?
Email [email protected]!