A key component of the UF Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service (UF CARES) mission is education - education of patients, their families, health professionals and the community in general. Education empowers individuals with awareness and understanding of HIV, which in turn builds a strong knowledge base for them to draw from and make confident decisions. This emphasis on education works toward the common goal of decreasing the transmission of HIV and providing comprehensive care to HIV infected patients.

Our center provides five broad types of education:

• Patient education targeting health education, medication adherence and risk reduction behavior
• Physician training through a mini-residency/preceptorship program at UF CARES, continuing medical education rounds and the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville pediatric infectious disease fellowship program
• Health professional training (nurses, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists and other health professionals) through the clinic's mini-residency, license certification training and CME, GME and nursing CE lectures and workshops
• Prevention of perinatal transmission (TOPWA) education to OB/GYN practitioners and labor and delivery and birthing center's staff
• Community organization outreach education

UF CARES offers education on prevention, testing and counseling, diagnosis, management, treatments, legal issues, psychosocial issues and what resources are available. The UF Center also focuses on building relationships and educating community organizations, which in turn educate its members, employees and clients.