Collaboration Through the Challenges of Multi-Departmental IPE Programming

Preparing students to successfully manage situations they will encounter in their work lives outside the classroom is essential to broaden their scope beyond the knowledge, skills and communication style of one particular discipline. Major demographic shifts include greater diversity and aging of populations which present new challenges to existing systems of education and practice. The need for, and value of, interprofessional education (IPE) is well-established in the literature and advocated by multiple organizations including the Institute of Medicine and World Health Organization (Buring et al., 2009). Gilbert et al. (2000) described their model for introducing IPE into diverse programs, “to expand a student’s knowledge of other disciplines, to develop skills that enable optimal performance within a team, and to provide an opportunity for students from a variety of disciplines to learn from and about each other” (p. 1). The need and expectation for interdisciplinary professional practice often results in both opportunities and difficulties. An infrastructure must be established with new systems and processes to facilitate the implementation of IPE. These efforts have to be supported by administration and requires buy-in from faculty, staff and students in multiple areas of the institution. This presentation highlights the collaboration of program directors in two colleges (College of Health Sciences and College of Applied & Behavioral Sciences) to develop IPE at the University of Indianapolis (UIndy). These efforts have resulted in 15 dual-program options with shared credits to enhance interdisciplinary teaching and learning practices as well as opportunities and outcomes for students. This presentation will share experiences in moving through the process from ideas to implementation of IPE and how the evolution continues. We will explore the starting point, approaches to designing a plan that aligns with the goals in the various programs while maintaining the integrity of each unit, and ways to monitor progress towards outcomes. Walter Hall and Zierler (2015) indicated many faculty feel unprepared to lead or teach on interprofessional activities. The UIndy program directors use innovative methods to coach faculty who are teaching students with different requisite knowledge and skills within their courses. Sharing experiences, guidance, and resources supports faculty's interest and efforts towards successful implementation of IPE. A positive approach and collaborative mind-set are required to navigate beyond silos. An essential key to the success of interdisciplinary education and practice is fostering communication and collaboration on a shared vision for the courses and programs.