University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy faculty active in Interprofessional Education
February 7, 2014 — On January 9, 2014, 72 faculty, 2 senior students and the Dean
of the College of Health Sciences (CHS) at the University of Wyoming gathered for
a very successful one-day Interprofessional Education (IPE) Workshop facilitated by
Brenda Zierler and Peggy Odegard from the University of Washington Center for Health
Science Interprofessional Education, Research and Practice. Twenty-two faculty from
the School of Pharmacy (SOP) attended the workshop and four SOP faculty serve on the
CHS IPE Committee.
Interprofessional education occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. Once students understand how to work interprofessionally, they are ready to enter the workplace as a member of the collaborative practice team. This is a key step in moving health systems from fragmentation to a position of strength.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO). (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization. See http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010/WHO_HRH_HPN_10.3_eng.pdf.
Every CHS unit was represented at the workshop as well as several other departments
from elsewhere on campus (Counselor Education and Veterinary Sciences) and even Colorado
State University representing Occupational Therapy. This totaled 15 different disciplines
or departments interested in participating in interprofessional education efforts.
"This gathering was the first of its kind for the college, and there was good energy
and great planning that resulted," says Carol Kobulnicky, chair of the CHS Interprofessional
Education Committee. "Every institution in the country is having to approach their
health sciences interprofessional education efforts differently. We’re working to
build on our strengths and to take advantage of the unique opportunities for collaboration
we have at the University of Wyoming."
In the past five years, there has been a growing national (and global) interest to
promote substantive interprofessional learning experiences to prepare students to
embrace and be capable of practicing on health care teams to improve patient care.
Four years ago, CHS initiated an Interprofessional Education Committee whose charges
include promoting and coordinating interprofessional education efforts within the
college. In addition to Kobulnicky, other SOP faculty serving on the committee include
Lanae Fox, Lauren Biehle, and Cara Harshberger.
The committee is now reprioritizing and strategizing IPE efforts in the college based
on the outcomes of the workshop. Nine subcommittees have resulted with the top priority
project groups having already met. The number of faculty now closely involved in envisioning
and working to provide IPE at the college has more than doubled in number. "A big
thank you goes out to Dean Joe Steiner whose office financed the endeavor and to Holly
Miller, Christiane Dechert, and Craig Vaske (members of the IPE Committee) and to
Mark Belcher and Laurie Kempert, both of the Dean’s Office. The event could not have
happened without them," states Kobulnicky. "The workshop has propelled us forward
to better envision and implement interprofessional education and interprofessional
practice in Wyoming. It’s an exciting time."
In addition, social and administrative pharmacy faculty Carol Kobulnicky and Reshmi
Singh are involved with IPE-based research.
The list of the disciplines/departments represented at the Interprofessional Education
Workshop were:
College Advising
UW Family Practice Medical Residency
Communication Disorders (includes Speech Language Pathology, Audiology)
Counselor Education
Dean's Office
Kinesiology and Health
Library Sciences
Nursing
Occupational Therapy (from outside university)
Pharmacy
Social Work
Veterinary Sciences/Epidemiology
Wyoming Institute for Disability (Disability Studies)
WWAMI
Wyoming Geriatric Education Center