Expanding the role of a university in consumer health education.

THE HEALTH SCIENCES UNIT Formed in 1969 as a conceptual and administrative restructuring of UW-Extension health-related departments, the Health Sciences Unit initially focused on continuing education of health professionals, with separately structured programs for physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. It immediately expanded to include other health workers, and to break down the artificial barriers of the separate professions through interdisciplinary programming.' The logical next step was to recognize the consumer as an important member of the health team and to consider the Unit's role in consumer health education.