Development and evaluation of an interprofessional seminar pilot course to enhance collaboration between health professions at a student-run clinic for underserved populations

ABSTRACT

This report describes the development and evaluation of an interprofessional pilot course aimed at health science students. The course was developed through collaboration of three health professions: Dentistry, Kinesiology, and Pharmacy. The coursework comprised of traditional lecture-based learning, interprofessional experiential education through four on-site visits at two area clinics that participate in team-based care, four student self-reflections following each site visit, and demonstration of interprofessional education and collaboration (IPEC) competencies through student evaluation of current interprofessional care at those existing clinics with a component for key improvement intervention. The study aims include evaluating both the course’s effectiveness and quality in increasing student preparedness for interprofessional practice and its ability to enhance collaboration between health professions at two area clinics. Methods of evaluation include the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) instrument, pre- and post- course surveys, and course evaluation survey. The results show that students felt their knowledge and skills increased across the four IPEC core competency domains: interprofessional communication, values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, and team and teamwork. We suggest that using an integrated course framework is an effective measure in enhancing interprofessional education (IPE) outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional education
• team-based care
• collaborative practice
• student-run clinic
• underserved populations

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lisa A. Caratelli

Lisa A. Caratelli, PharmD was a PharmD student at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy at the time of the drafting of this manuscript and is now a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Clinical Research and Claims Strategy at Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. and Adjunct Clinical Faculty at Rutgers University.

Jolene R. Bostwick

Jolene R. Bostwick, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP is the Associate Chair and Clinical Professor of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy and a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in Psychiatry at Michigan Medicine. She was named as an inaugural Interprofessional Leadership Fellow by the Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education.

Thomas Templin

Thomas Templin, PhD is the Associate Dean for Faculty and Undergraduate Affairs and Professor of Applied Exercise Science at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. He is currently on the Executive Committee and the Ad Hoc Administrative Advisory Group for the Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education.

Mark Fitzgerald

Mark Fitzgerald, DDS, MS is the Associate Dean of Community-Based Collaborative Care and Education at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. He currently is a member of the Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education Executive Committee and co-chair of the University of Michigan campus wide Interprofessional Education Curriculum Workgroup.

Marilyn S. Filter

Marilyn S. Filter, PhD, MS, RN, CNM is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan-Flint in the School of Nursing. She was named as an inaugural Interprofessional Leadership Fellow by the Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education.

Emily Ginier

Emily Ginier, MLIS is an Informationist at the Taubman Health Sciences Library. She is currently on the Faculty Development Committee of the Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education.