A Childhood of Travel Shapes Professor’s Passion to Ensure Quality Care Access for All

UCF Associate Professor Latarsha Chisholm had the chance to travel throughout the nation during her childhood because she was raised in a military family. The experience opened her eyes to the disparities around her and the opportunities to make a difference.

Chisholm works in UCF’s School of Global Health Management and Informatics in the College of Community Innovation and Education. Her research focuses on quality of care, disparities, and the implementation and dissemination of innovations. This includes racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities that occur in long-term care settings, such as nursing homes.

The Gainesville, Florida, native says her family and colleagues who are just as passionate about making a difference in the world are a strong source of inspiration.

“There’s a reason why I’m here working on research and attempting to improve the healthcare system,” Chisholm says. “We need to ensure that all individuals receive and have access to high quality of care, and not just few.”

Currently much of her work focuses on improving a person’s experience in nursing homes, especially since this is a growing industry. There is the potential to improve resident experience by adopting innovative approaches, which is one area she is studying.

Chisholm holds a doctoral degree in health services research, management and policy from the University of Florida. She also has a master’s degree of social work (clinical track social work) and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, both from the University of South Florida. It was during an internship at the Tampa U.S. Veterans Affairs Hospital while she was a graduate student completing her social work program that Chisholm became inspired to investigate fields of health services and their impact on quality of care.

Chisholm has more than 20 publications in scholarly journals and several ongoing research projects. She has presented at Moffitt Cancer Center and various national meetings as she works to make a difference.