About the IPCE Team

The RUSH Interprofessional Continuing Education Office (IPCE) is jointly accredited to offer continuing education to physicians, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers, dieticians and physical/occupational therapists. RUSH IPCE is the only jointly accredited academic center in the state of Illinois.

Interprofessional education occurs where members from two or more professions learn with, from and about each other. Interprofessional education promotes collaboration, teamwork by learning with

In 2023, RUSH Interprofessional Continuing Education accredited 656 live courses for credit.

During 2023, IPCE issued 156,398.25 continuing education credits to 83,337 learners across eight disciplines. As illustrated in the table below, the majority of these credits were issued to various professionals including physicians.

The IPCE office has an extensive collaboration with internal RUSH departments.

IPCE has formed numerous partnerships with regional, national and international entities to offer continuing education courses. These include the Hektoen Institute, Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois Sleep Society, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Plantrician Project, Pediatric Interventional Cardiology, Practice Point CME, Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning, and others.

If you are looking to provide education or partner, please contact the IPCE office at CE_office@rush.edu.

To view our catalog of educational courses, please visit https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/tmpl1

Our Team

Image	Jennifer Comerford, MA, CHCP Director, Interprofessional Continuing Education Jennifer Comerford has been a dedicated professional in continuing education for over 20 years, bringing her expertise to Rush since 2016. She is passionate about fostering collaboration within the healthcare team to address healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys quality time with her family and gardening.
Image	Cecilia Merino Manager, Interprofessional Continuing Education Cecilia Merino is Manager of Continuing Education Programs at the IPCE Office at RUSH and an experienced continuing education professional with a strong background in the healthcare field. With over 20 years of experience in course development, accreditation oversight, and organizational management, Cecilia has a proven track record of leading and delivering projects, managing professional relationships, and driving new initiatives forward. She is committed to ensuring the IPCE Office continues to thrive and serve the RUSH community, is an effective communicator, and flourishes in collaborative and innovative settings. Outside of work, Cecilia enjoys reading, travel, international films, and a challenging step count.
Image	Linda Fitzgerald Business Administration Manager, Interprofessional Continuing Education My name is Linda Fitzgerald, and I am the Business Administration Manager for the Interprofessional Office of Continuing Education. I believe that honesty, creativity, and dedication are essential qualities in my work at Rush. Having been with the organization for 39 years, I have greatly valued my experiences here. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, reading, and spending quality time with my family.
Image	Lakshmi Venugopal Manager, Interprofessional Continuing Education With a master’s degree in economics and extensive experience in academia and healthcare management, I began my career teaching undergraduate students in India. From 1993 to 2004, I managed an NIH/NCI-funded research lab at Rush University Medical Center. Transitioning into medical education, I managed the Graduate Medical Program for the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship and the CME activities of the Cancer Center at Rush from 2004 to 2019, ensuring high-quality training and continuous learning for medical professionals. Currently, I serve as the CME Program Manager for Interprofessional Continuing Education at Rush, playing a pivotal role in fostering collaborative learning and excellence across diverse healthcare disciplines.
Image	Marilyn Correa Continuing Education Program Coordinator, Interprofessional Continuing Education Hi! I’m Marilyn Correa, CE Program Coordinator at the Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Office at RUSH. I am dedicated to providing quality customer service, reviewing CE program applications, and walking applicants through our approval process. In my free time, I enjoy sightseeing, watching comedy sitcoms/movies, and spending time with my loved ones. I aspire to utilize my skills and creativity to contribute to impactful projects and grow in the ever-evolving continuing education field.
Image	Lucy Guo Program Manager, Interprofessional Continuing Education Lucy has been working as the E-learning Program Manager who helps create E-learning modules and live web-based training sessions and support learning materials following an instructional design process for the IPCE office's portfolio of electronic CE programs. She manages the learning management system among the IPCE team. Meanwhile, she manages Grand Rounds programs. She studied linguistics and instructional technology and loves reading, cats, outdoors sports, and travelling around the globe. Her dream is to become a TED speaker and publish her own book one day.
Image	Carmen Gomez Administrative Assistant, Interprofessional Continuing Education Hello, my name is Carmen Gomez, and I serve as the Administrative Assistant at the Interprofessional Continuing Education Office. With several years of experience in customer service, I take pride in providing timely and effective support, ensuring all inquiries are addressed promptly. Outside of work, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and watching Netflix series.