It’s well documented that health profession curricula have become overloaded, with programs and instructors/faculty being asked to cover more information in similar or less time. While this is understandable due to the natural evolution of practice and scientific advancements, it can cause issues related to student learning and identifying how required curricular elements may fit best into the ‘puzzle’ academicians are often trying to assemble. Interprofessional education (IPE) is a required component of many health profession curricula, but often represents opportunities that fall outside of usual course structure or content. While some IPE experiences might be best for certain cohorts of students, or may be more successful when completed as co- or extra-curricular opportunities, identifying practical strategies for core IPE experiences to be integrated into hectic curricula for all students can be helpful to consider.
This Lightning Talk will share the experience of pharmacy and nursing programs who have used resourceful scheduling, reward/incentive structures, and creative logistic strategies to effectively incorporate core IPE experiences into their curricula. These programs represent disciplines with large cohorts of 150+ students per class, making these strategies applicable to other professions where accommodating large numbers of students may be part of the difficulty, while also considering strategies that can be applied to programs with smaller numbers. Practical strategies will be shared that include, considerations for accommodating different numbers of students, strategies for promoting faculty involvement and how to recruit an intended number of facilitators for different experiences, balancing logistic considerations of IPE opportunities with other class schedules, utilizing online, in-person, and hybrid IPE options, coordinating topics or content across uni-professional and interprofessional components of a curriculum, and forming connections with other professions to promote diversity of experiences.
Given the often-episodic nature of IPE experiences, it’s important to place an emphasis on integrating IPE opportunities in a manner that allows them to be viewed as similarly important to other required curricular elements and classes. While recognizing the unique structures all programs will have for their curriculum, the practical strategies shared during this Lightning Talk can help ensure programs are deliberate with IPE curricular integration and it’s not viewed as ‘in addition to’ or ‘outside of’ the other curricular demands students and faculty will have in hectic health science programs.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (National Center OICPD). The National Center OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
The National Center OICPD (JA#: 4008105) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs).
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with their participation.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Athletic Trainers: This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
Learners can claim CE credit by completing the Daily Evaluation.
