Our values

At the Shufeldt School, our values shape how we learn, work and care for others. They guide how we prepare future health professionals, advance research and innovation, collaborate across disciplines and communities, and improve care for the people we serve. Together, these values reflect our commitment to creating meaningful, lasting impact in Arizona and beyond.

We deliver care and engineer solutions that are grounded in a deep understanding of patients’ lived experiences, cultures, and needs. Compassion means listening first, communicating clearly, and ensuring that care and innovation are respectful, accessible and responsive to the people we serve. It is active and extends to how we treat our learners, colleagues and communities. 

We work across disciplines - such as engineering, data science, humanities, public health, nursing, social work, and health system science - to solve complex health challenges that no single field can address alone. Collaboration means valuing diverse expertise, engaging communities as partners, and communicating openly across clinical, research and educational environments. We train, operate and support interprofessional teams to achieve shared goals. 

We apply an engineering mindset—integrating clinical insight, creativity, and an understanding of human and social systems—to design and advance models of care that improve access, quality, and efficiency. Guided by principled innovation, courage, and learning from failure, we advance technologies in ways that are ethical, safe, and meaningful for patients and providers. Our goal is to solve real problems and address unmet needs, improving care and outcomes. 

We are committed to evidence-based medicine, reflective practices, scientific integrity, and the responsible use of data and technology. Trust is earned through consistent integrity and accountable actions in patient care, education and research. By upholding intellectual honesty, confronting bias, and demonstrating reliability and competence, we build strong relationships with patients, communities, and each other. 

We measure success by the tangible improvements we make in patient outcomes and community well-being. Impact means translating education, research, and innovation into scalable solutions that address real-world challenges such as access, cost, and quality of care. We focus on results that matter to the people and communities we serve in Arizona and beyond.