The Interdisciplinary Student Council: Cultivating the Future of Interprofessional Education and the Advancement of Interdisciplinary, Patient-Centered Care
Background:
The interprofessional education (IPE) program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center services 19 professions in eight colleges across three campus locations. The Interdisciplinary Student Council (ISC) was formed in 2020 under the guidance of the Office of the Vice Provost and the Office of the Interdisciplinary Programs. There was a need for student representation in the development and implementation of interdisciplinary education. The ISC is led by the Chair and Vice-Chair. It consists of elected student representatives from each college. Two Student Government Association liaisons enable collaboration and expand the influence of the student body in interprofessional curriculum integration.
Problem:
A lack of student engagement, coupled with undefined roles and responsibilities with vague channels of communication to contribute to the development of replicable, sustainable methods to create, implement, and evaluate student-led programing.
Aims:
Empower student leaders to implement various interdisciplinary programs across campus
Enable the student body to seamlessly engage in interdisciplinary learning environments
Establishment of succinct roles and responsibilities to ensure sustainability of initiatives
Engage new students in meaningful projects and assist with communication
Methodology:
At monthly meetings, representatives from the different colleges report progress on their IPE initiatives that they have chosen to work on. The ISC chairs coordinate with the representatives to provide resources, ideas, advertising, and support for the IPE endeavors. The chairs collaborate with the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and faculty to ensure appropriate channels of vertical communication.
Results:
In the 2020-2021 academic year, the ISC was able to assist in the development and implementation of a variety of IPE initiatives such as: Unity Clinic, Unity in Health, The GREAT Symposium, and the LGBTQ+ Simulation.
Conclusion:
In the past academic year, despite a global pandemic and virtual learning environments, the ISC demonstrated a high degree of efficacy in improving interdisciplinary education, as well as exponential growth potential. As the ISC transitions into its second year, the council seeks to maintain current IPE initiatives, while expanding the scope and influence of its impact as a premier interdisciplinary organization.
Lessons Learned:
This upcoming year, the ISC will expand the leadership potential by improving representative buy-in through the establishment of an environment geared towards the cultivation and ownership of new IPE initiatives. The ISC will establish roles and responsibilities for representative project leads. The culmination of these efforts will result in the development and implementation of the Interdisciplinary Grand Rounds, a new campus-wide IPE program.
