Establishing interprofessional clinical learning experiences in primary care safety-net sites

ABSTRACT

This paper describes an interprofessional clinical learning experience for students within two primary care safety-net sites. An interprofessional team of faculty at one university partnered with two safety-net systems to provide students opportunities to work in an interprofessional team providing care for socially and medically complex patients. Our evaluation outcomes are student-centered, focusing on students’ perceptions of caring for medically underserved populations and satisfaction with the clinical experience. Students reported positive perceptions of the interprofessional team, clinical experience, primary care, and caring for underserved populations. Strategic development of partnerships between academic and safety-net systems to offer learning opportunities can increase future healthcare providers’ exposure and appreciation for interprofessional care of underserved populations.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional clinical learning environment
• Primary care
• Underserved populations
• Interprofessional clinical

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge East Cooper Community Outreach, Fetter Health Care Network, Shantae Jenkins, MD, Anthony Poole, PA-C, Stephanie Kelley, M.Ed, Yolanda Tolton, BS, Deborah Williamson DHA, MSN, APRN, CNM, David Garr, MD, Deborah Carson, PharmD, Michael Cuenin, DMD, Anita Ramsetty, MD, Matthew Ewald, MSPAS, PA-C, Clint Blankenship, PharmD, PA-C, and Cathy Durham, DNP, APRN, FNP-C for their support in the implementation of the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Duke Endowment [grant number 6622-SP].

Notes on contributors

Terri Fowler

Terri Fowler is an Associate Professor and College of Nursing Director of Interprofessional Programs at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her area of practice and expertise is in interprofessional practice and education, and chronic disease management in underserved populations.

James Sterrett

James Sterrett is an Associate Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. His clinical focus is on the provision of ambulatory care pharmacy services and has over 20 years of experience specifically providing evidence-based pharmacotherapy and chronic disease state management, motivational interviewing, and telehealth. Dr. Sterrett’s scholarly activity is focused on academic-community partnerships and interprofessional team-based models of care to improve health outcomes of uninsured, underserved, and marginalized populations.

Whitney Smith

Whitney Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at the Medical University of South Carolina, College of Nursing. Dr. Smith has experience in geriatric medicine, primary care, women’s health, telehealth and teleprecepting. Her area of interest includes providing primary healthcare to the underserved focused on chronic illness management, age related illnesses, and wellness promotion.

Jennifer Bailey

Jennifer Bailey is Senior Director of Operations and Programs for the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium and Assistant Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her area of practice and expertise is in social determinants of health, interprofessional practice and education, and health for rural and underserved populations.

Kathleen B. Cartmell

Kathleen Cartmell is an Associate Professor at Clemson University in the Department of Public Health Sciences. Her areas of research and expertise are in HPV vaccination, tobacco cessation, dissemination and implementation sciences and program evaluation, with much of her work focused on improving processes of care and outcomes in medically underserved populations.