Implementation of a Learner-Driven Interprofessional Scholars Program with Peer Mentoring

Background: While interprofessional curricular activities are required by most health professions programs, learners are often looking for additional experiences to develop as an interprofessional team-member. The aim of this project was implementation of a program designed to provide opportunities to further interprofessional education (IPE) and recognize students who exceed required IPE activities. Design: A team of four University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC) School of Pharmacy (SOP) students led by a faculty advisor identified a desire among students for advanced education in interprofessional teamwork and worked to develop an Interprofessional (IP) Scholars program. This project serves students at all three SOP sites across Missouri. The UMKC IP Scholars program was designed to build on existing interprofessional activities. The student team built a program with three phases: Acquire (establish/learn), Achieve (grow/engage), and Advance (reflect/lead). Interested students complete an application and are assigned a peer mentor upon acceptance. In the Acquire phase, students are required to complete modules covering an overview of IPE and habits of high-performing teams. The Achieve phase is driven by the individual: students choose from a variety of activities or develop new opportunities to build interprofessional skills. The peer mentor guides the IP Scholar through the Achieve phase to meet individual goals and assesses participation, documenting meetings in Qualtrics. Finally, in the Advance phase, learners present reflections and prepare to become a mentor for incoming IP Scholars. Results: In the pilot year of the program, three students applied and were accepted as IP Scholars. The four students that designed the program served as peer mentors. Students have completed the Acquire phase and are currently completing the Achieve phase. Quality improvements were implemented to the original program design during the pilot year. Lessons Learned: The Acquire phase was successful, yet students desired learning more about how they communicate and process information so each student completed an enneagram with a faculty-led discussion on working with other types. This addition led to the scholars discussing other leadership topics throughout the year. The Achieve phase design became too complex to track; as the program moves into the second year, the IP Scholars will track activities by type: education, scholarship, leadership, and engagement. Conclusion: The IP Scholars program offers valuable experiences for students who desire more training in IPE. Peer mentoring as part of the scholars program is a unique and successful component helping students develop as interprofessional team-members.