The Influence of IPE
Does campus-based interprofessional education (IPE) really influence professional practice? Will it make a meaningful difference in your real-world capacity for teamwork and patient-centered care? And perhaps equally important: do employers care about IPE skills?
We asked UNE alumni these questions and found that IPE experience on campus not only influenced practice but was a valuable asset in obtaining employment and opening up leadership opportunities.
The study, Interprofessional Education: A 5-year Analysis of its Impact on Workplace Practice,* involved 94 UNE alumni from 9 UNE health professions programs in surveys and focus groups. We gathered both quantitative (survey), and qualitative (focus groups) data.
Participants found significant benefit from campus-based IPE activities.
Knowledge learned from campus IPE activities positively transferred to the workforce.
Participants reported having IPE experience was a factor in employers’ hiring and promotion decisions.
Learning about other professions before entering practice gave participants confidence working in professional teams.
Participants enjoyed learning from diverse perspectives and felt it strengthened their practice.
The importance of interprofessional teamwork
“Participating in this research as a student has proven to be a valuable aspect of my education optimizing patient outcomes. My early exposure to the interdisciplinary aspects of patient care and its benefits enhances my ability to provide holistic patient care now and in future practice.” — Kelsey Pelletier, College of Osteopathic Medicine '23
“Campus team-based experiences are building blocks going into professional practice. Having them with other professions wrapped up together helped us breakdown biases by getting to know and talk to people in roles that you haven't talked to before.” — Greg Blackman, MSPA, PA-C, ATC '20
“It was wonderful having the opportunity to work interprofessionally with peers and faculty alike to investigate interprofessional practice clinically. Research with CECE has been an invaluable addition to my graduate education.” — Dakota Rogers, Occupational Therapy '22
“My input as a student and future colleague was valued consistently throughout my time with this team. Collaborating within an interprofessional team on a study that sought to investigate the impact of interprofessional education prior to entering health care was a particularly wonderful experience.” — Caroline Jaeger, College of Osteopathic Medicine '24
Faculty Researchers
*Thank you to the Office of Research and Scholarship for Faculty Mini-grant support