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Collaborative Healthcare: Interprofessional Practice, Education and Evaluation (JCIPE)

Abstract

Background While the need for interprofessional education (IPE) has been clearly elucidated, (Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016), one of the major barriers is the logistical challenge of meeting curricular requirements for all involved. The organization and time required in an already full schedule are often deterrents. Ideal opportunities meet specific program curricular requirements as well as enhancing interprofessional competencies. Interprofessional competencies include developing skills to teach other health care providers about profession-specific skills and enhancing communication across the professions (Bridges, 2011; Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016). Active learning techniques have been advocated for adult learners to promote motivation and engagement (Knowles, 1984), while peer teaching has been found to improve confidence with communication and improve teamwork (Seenan, 2016). The use of peer teaching may be an important option for learning about and with other professions to meet interprofessional competencies related to communication and learning about other professions while addressing logistical constraints.

One of the most common causes of medical practitioner musculoskeletal injuries is lifting techniques (Monaghan & Proctor, 2011). While dental educational programs include ergonomic training, there is limited information available on how to assist individuals with movement dysfunction or disabilities into or out of a dental chair. Dental students need to understand how to work with their team to coordinate safe transitions for patients to, and from, the dental chair while adhering to precautions (Stevenson, 2015). Physical therapy accreditation standards include a requirement for students to design and deliver instruction in this area to other health care professionals (Geiger, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to describe the innovative active learning method that occurred at the University of Florida when the Physical Therapy and Dental professional programs partnered to provide these profession-specific curricular objectives and interprofessional competencies.

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