Preparing students to be collaboration-ready to improve community health outcomes requires a network of community partners built on mutual trust, effective logistical coordination, and meaningful teaching and learning activities. At St. Louis University, the interprofessional community practicum course pairs teams of undergraduate students from different health professions with local non-profit organizations who serve under-resourced communities. Each semester, student teams plan, implement…

• Interprofessional education experiences are essential to transition the IPEC competencies from classroom-based knowledge to actual patient care. Active learning opportunities offer an important progression in the development of health care professionals by allowing them to practice the IPEC competencies. Fully integrated interprofessional teamwork requires service delivery by the person most qualified to provide the needed care. This expectation raises underdiscussed issues regarding scope…

Background Remote Area Medical® (RAM) is a non-profit providing free healthcare services to underserved areas, including rural Appalachia. RAM has collaborated with ETSU to provide patient services and learning opportunities for student volunteers at an annual clinic. Student teams consisted of undergraduate and graduate students with backgrounds in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech pathology, and others. The impact on students' attitudes through participation at the event has been…

Training future health care professionals to provide just and equitable services for their patients is an important, but small step towards achieving health equity. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and researchers at the University of Madison Wisconsin have found that 50% of population health outcomes relate to social and environmental determinants (www.countyhealthrankings.org) which health providers have little control over. Additionally, these social and environmental factors have a…

The Duke Outpatient Clinic is an internal medicine resident-lead, community-based practice which serves a medically complex patient population, many of whom are un- or underinsured. Due to the volume of patients with diabetes not meeting glycemic goals, an interprofessional, diabetes-focused team was formed to address this need. The multidisciplinary team consists of a precepting physician, clinical pharmacist and learners, advanced practice providers, licensed clinical social workers (LCSW…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccinating the population against the coronavirus has become a primary focus of public health practice. Institutions of higher learning, especially those with an emphasis on health professions education, are uniquely positioned to partner with government and healthcare leaders to work toward a common goal: to vaccinate efficiently and safely as many individuals as possible. In Spring 2021, Creighton University, a Catholic, Jesuit institution partnered with both…

This academic year, Florida Atlantic University’s Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice, with their Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and School of Social Work, and Palm Beach Atlantic University’s School of Pharmacy successfully launched interprofessional videoconferencing sessions with local older adult mentors in a program to promote healthy aging. This program is unique in that it allows the assigned older adult mentor, called a Senior Aging Geriatric Educator (SAGE), to…

Societal focus on personal responsibility for obesity has been shown to contribute to negative attitudes about people with obesity among healthcare providers and internalized weight bias among patients. Consequences of weight stigma include social isolation, stress, negative health behaviors and less frequent medical care. An interprofessional approach is needed to address the complexity of obesity in a way that decreases stigma and promotes physical and emotional wellbeing. The Boston…