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The University of New England’s Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) and the Westbrook College of Health Professions Occupational Therapy program hosted Said Nafai OTD, OTR/L CLT, founder of occupational therapy in Morocco, for an interprofessional presentation in Ludcke Auditorium.

Nafai received his Doctorate in occupational therapy from Boston University, following completion of his Master's degree in occupational therapy from Salem State University. Born and raised in Morocco, he was determined to establish the practice of occupational therapy in his country in response to his brother’s experience with physical disability as a child.  

In a presentation marked by his lively sense of humor, “Considerations in Working with Muslims as Interprofessional Team Members; Cultural Awareness, Humility, and Health Literacy," addressed cross-cultural team building opportunities found in modern health care teams. Nafai’s interest in strong teamwork for better patient care comes from his emphasis on improving the lives of people with disabilities. He has extensive experience in directing rehabilitation programs, working with both hand therapy and home care.

The Occupational Therapy program collaborated with Physical Therapy, Social Work, and Nursing to bring Nafai to ɫ����Ƶ. On campus programming that promotes collaborative care is supported by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). Members of the collaborative include faculty from the Westbrook College of Health Professions, the College of Pharmacy, The College of Dental Medicine and the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Collectively, these faculty work to provide programming that brings students from all the health professions at ɫ����Ƶ together to learn “with, from, and about” each other.

To learn more about the University of New England’s Interprofessional Education Collaborative visit

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