Integrating an Interprofessional Education Model at a Private University

Abstract

Objective: Eight cohorts of 25 nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, and health care administration students will be “collaborative practice-ready” using care coordination principles for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

Methods: In each academic semester, 5 students from each of the health professional programs for a total of 25 students per cohort were asked to participate.  The two semester interprofessional activity used online learning via Blackboard Learn^®, face-to-face and simulated experiences to teach the core competencies of Interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP).  In the first semester core, students were equipped with knowledge specific to teamwork and specific to care of vulnerable populations with diabetes.  The organizing framework for the curriculum sequence included concepts of health promotion, prevention and intervention embedded in the Web of Causation (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary care).  Specific content on diabetes care including standards of care will built on specialty content embedded in each health professional curriculum.

Results: Over 225 students participated in the interprofessional educational activity.  Several of the disciplines used multiple methods to invite students to participate in this voluntary effort while one discipline provided a means by which students could select this activity as an elective to meet their graduation requirements and another integrated the activity into an existing course.

Conclusions: While not completely new, transforming the way students and faculty in health professions education experience clinical and didactic environments is an imperative.  Interprofessional education and clinical practice must be an intentional practice that needs and requires support from university administration for successful implementation and sustainability.