Abstract:

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC), manifested in the capacity of different health professionals to work cohesively, improves communication between healthcare workers. Interprofessional education (IPE) is directly linked to IPC, and is characterized by occasions when two or more professions learn from, with, and about each other. Experience with IPE is essential in preparing healthcare students for working with other healthcare disciplines in a real work setting. Therefore, we developed a new course that brings together five students from five different professions in one class, including nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, communication disorders, and medical students. The teaching method that underlies the course is Problem-Based Learning (PBL) which fosters independent study in small groups facilitated by a tutor. It presents students with real-life problems and requires them to work in teams to discover solutions.

Students who participated in the course reported satisfaction and were excited to meet students from different professions. However, implementing the new course confronted us with challenges including coordinating between five different programs and changing attitudes of health professions educators.

In the future, we wish to expand the course to include more students. Our vision is to add students from other professions, such as psychology, social work and education, to ensure the best patient outcomes.

Keywords:

Interprofessional collaboration, Interprofessional education, Problem-Based Learning.