On this occasion, students from the Fundación Universitaria María Cano, from sixth to eighth semester, were invited to participate. Additionally, Professor Ana María Velasco Muñoz took part as a guest speaker on October 2 and 3, 2025, in the 2nd Cauca Symposium on Updates in Cerebrovascular Disease – ACMI Cauca Chapter, an in-person academic event held in the city of Popayán and organized by the Departmental Health Secretariat of Cauca and the Colombian Association of Internal Medicine (ACMI). The event was also broadcast live through the official YouTube channel of the Departmental Health Secretariat of Cauca.

The symposium aimed to provide an update on key topics related to diseases that precede Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA), covering areas from basic concepts to clinical and specialized aspects. It was directed toward students, residents from various educational institutions, specialists, and healthcare professionals, and featured the participation of renowned professors and experts from different regions of the country. Throughout the sessions, highly relevant topics for clinical practice were addressed, such as noncommunicable chronic diseases, acute diagnosis and treatment of stroke, neurological rehabilitation, and secondary prevention strategies, among others.

During her presentation titled “From the Clinic to the Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Stroke Patients in Neurorehabilitation”, Professor Ana María emphasized the importance of health education at all levels of care, prevention strategies by level, the role of all actors within the health system based on the social determinants model, and evidence-based neurorehabilitation interventions for each stage of stroke recovery. Her presentation sparked significant interest and engagement among attendees, including neurologists, interventional specialists, internists, physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, and professionals and students from various health disciplines.

Furthermore, the professor highlighted that strengthening interdisciplinary work and community-based rehabilitation has a direct impact on the effectiveness of rapid response systems for stroke, helping to significantly reduce the social and economic costs associated with this condition.

Finally, she underscored the importance of continuing to promote spaces for the dissemination of scientific knowledge for health and education professionals, fostering the development of individuals with a strong ethical foundation, critical thinking, empathy, social commitment, and community engagement, all oriented toward providing comprehensive support that promotes transformation and well-being within communities.

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