University of Florida

The AHEC Tobacco Training and Cessation - Initial Training or ATTAC-IT Program is an interdisciplinary two-part program that trains health professions students in tobacco prevention and cessation. At the University of Florida, students from disciplines in Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, and Public Health and Health Professions participate in the program.

ATTAC-IT’s goal is to diminish the negative effects of tobacco use by promoting
healthy attitudes and behaviors in healthcare professions students and middle school
students, both personally and as agents of social change to reduce tobacco use.

In Part 1 of the ATTAC-IT program, the future health professionals participate in an interdisciplinary Afternoon of Learning, in which they receive education on the science of tobacco disease and addiction, as well as training on motivational interviewing, pharmacotherapy, and behavioral interventions.

In the 2008-2009 year, over 1,000 health professions students in the UF AHEC
Program area participated in the ATTAC-IT Program reaching nearly 25,000 youth.

Here is what some of the health professions students have said about participating in the ATTAC-IT Day of Service:

• “I felt like my career as a healthcare provider began when I started speaking to the (middle school) class.”
• “My initial belief that children of the next generation had grown up with anti-smoking ad campaigns and therefore knew the dangers of smoking was false. These children had a basic knowledge but there were still many misconceptions about its effects.”
• “…as a little boy left and gave me a hug and thanked me, wholeheartedly thanked me for coming, I realized that I did make a difference.”

Here is what the middle school teachers have said about the ATTAC-IT Day of Service:

• “Great strategies were used. The team was extremely knowledgeable and all showed concern for the students’ well being. Presented themselves as EXCELLENT ROLE MODELS AND EDUCATORS!”
• “Please continue this program at Lake City Middle School because the information that my students received is outstanding. What a great experience.”
• “The interaction of the (health professions) students with my classes was great. Also, the hands-on activities and other classroom methods that were used motivated all classes.”

The ATTAC-IT materials are developed and modified annually through the cooperation and collaboration of faculty in the various health science center colleges at the University of Florida: Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health and Health Professions. These materials are shared throughout the Florida AHEC Network, consisting of University of Florida, University of South Florida, Nova Southeastern University, University of Miami, and Florida State University.

Over the past 12 years, the FLAHEC Network has trained
over 13,000 health professions students and delivered an anti-tobacco
message to nearly 400,000 middle school students statewide.

For more information on the ATTAC-IT Program, or if you are a teacher who would like to host a team of health professions students, please contact: