Health professions students collaborate during 'Swalloween' labs

November 11, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 6)
Article by Sri Nandamudi

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Sri Nandamudi, associate professor of speech-language pathology, facilitated the annual Interprofessional Dysphagia Labs and the popular “Swalloween” event in late October, in collaboration with the Simulation Center and other College of Health Professions programs.

Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing. This can be a debilitating condition that affects a person’s ability to eat and drink safely, leading to serious health complications such as aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration, while also impacting the quality of life and social participation.

As chair of the Dysphagia IPE Taskforce, Nandamudi coordinates the labs, which are designed around shared learning objectives emphasizing teamwork and understanding of each profession’s role in dysphagia intervention.

Graduate students from Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Science and Therapy, and Clinical Dietetics participated in the three-part learning experience. They began with online modules from each discipline, then met in person to collaborate on interprofessional activities. Two weeks later, students reconvened for simulation-based case studies, learning to develop care plans for patients with swallowing disorders and working with standardized patients portraying individuals and caregivers.

The labs also featured a fun “Swalloween” costume contest on food/drink-inspired themes to raise awareness about dysphagia, awarding the best teams with interprofessional prizes.

-- Sri Nandamudi is the associate professor and admissions coordinator for the Speech-Language Pathology program.

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