People living with chronic health concerns have important life and health care experiences that can enrich interprofessional education (IPE). For 10 years Patient & Community Partnership for Education has coordinated an Interprofessional Health Mentors program (HMP) at the University of British Columbia, Canada. The HMP is an elective educational experience in which teams of students from different disciplines learn from and with a mentor who has a chronic condition or disability, or is a caregiver. The program provides learning relevant to interprofessional competencies with an emphasis on patient/client-centred collaborative practice.
The HMP provides a flexible option for IPE, not only in timing (groups schedule their own meetings) but in the way academic credit is assigned (each program determines how it fits into their existing curriculum). Approximately 50 mentors and 200 students participate each year. Mentors have a wide range of physical and mental health diseases/disabilities. Students are from audiology, clinical psychology, dentistry, dietetics, genetic counselling, nursing, kinesiology, medicine, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology. Over 9 months the groups (3-4 students and a mentor) form self-directed learning communities that explore different topics in which the health mentor is an expert, such as living with a chronic condition or disability, accessing the health care system, and interactions with a health care team.
The program has been a laboratory to study the effects of patient involvement in IPE. Learning outcomes assessed through interviews with students 3-4 years post-program show that the HMP helps students commit to patient partnership and interprofessional collaboration. Results from a survey of 72 mentors indicate that they experience a range of benefits including personal growth and development associated with the longitudinal, reciprocal relationships they develop with the students. Engaging patients as mentors in IPE can be transformative for both students and patients.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (OICPD). The OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
The National Center OICPD is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs). This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with their participation.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Athletic Trainers: This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
