Presented By: Martha Garcia, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe

Purpose
The passion-driven project addresses key issues in health professions education, aiming for a holistic approach, overcoming challenges in implementing active learning strategies, fostering engagement and motivation, and integrating interdisciplinary skills and wellness principles.

Methods
Implemented as a groundbreaking capstone project for health professions students, including both medical and chiropractic students in Puerto Rico, the intervention utilizes design thinking principles. Students work in groups, choosing topics they are passionate about, integrating threshold biomedical science concepts with wellness and health promotion using the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine as framework. The capstone project has been replicated across seven cohorts of medical students and three cohorts of chiropractic students, totaling 56 and 16 proposals, respectively.

Results
Evaluation results, assessed through a 360-degree approach, indicate the achievement of objectives and alignment with program competencies. Results across participant groups consistently show high student satisfaction (>98%) and faculty observations reveal the development of lifelong learning skills, collaborative teamwork, and advancements in active learning and higher-order thinking abilities. Notably, several student-developed projects are being considered for inclusion in university wellness programs, emphasizing real-world impact.

Conclusions
The intervention's success in achieving its objectives, promoting holistic student development, and contributing to the broader community through wellness initiatives is evident. The lessons learned from this project have significant implications for health professions education, emphasizing the effectiveness of integrating passion-driven learning, design thinking, threshold concepts, and wellness principles. The positive outcomes, coupled with high student satisfaction and the recognition of projects for inclusion in wellness programs, suggest broad applicability across diverse health professions and educational contexts. The emphasis on lifelong learning, teamwork, and higher-order thinking aligns with evolving healthcare professional needs. These positive outcomes highlight the importance of adapting educational strategies to meet the dynamic challenges of health professions education in the future.