Interprofessional Education

Interprofessional Education at Saint Louis University

As the importance of interprofessional teams gains greater recognition, the value of the individual patient or client as an active participant in the health care process and, therefore, as a member of the team is demanding more attention. Preparing health professionals for the future requires an educational process that focuses on issues and concerns addressed collaboratively with the patient or client and in common with several professions.

Interprofessional education (IPE) began at Saint Louis University in 2006 as part of the core curriculum imbedded in the professional curricula of the School of Nursing and the Doisy College of Health Sciences. These students are traditional undergraduates preparing ultimately for one of nine health professional careers. Since the inception of the IPE Programs at SLU, work began to incorporate this program in other professional curricula in which students enter at the post-baccalaureate level such as medicine, accelerated nursing, physician assistant, and social work.

During the IPE capstone course, Integrative Interprofessional Practicum Experience (IIPE), interprofessional teams of six to eight students in conjunction with community residents identify pertinent health related issues specific to each population. Team members communicate, cooperate, collaborate, and integrate care to improve health outcomes. Each professional uses his/her knowledge and expertise to maximize health outcomes. An essential component of this integrative interprofessional practicum experience is the communication of the team with the patient/client both in terms of implementing patient/client friendly terminology as well as applying the principles of their patient/client health literacy training to facilitate patient/client understanding of 1) personal health issues, 2) safety, and 3) efficient methods to navigate the health care system. The objectives of this practicum are to 1)improve health care outcomes in medically underserved communities and 2) provide students with a learning experience focused on client system centered care emphasizing communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, evidence-based practice, quality improvement approaches, client safety, informatics, and cost management. IIPE sites currently facilitated by Family and Community Medicine include:

Corrections Medicine

People's Health Center

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