This lightning talk will address the issue of health system transformation from the lens of community engagement through the Indiana Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars program – a community focused interprofessional fellowship. We will describe the components, development, initial lessons learned, and preliminary outcomes of the AHEC Scholars approach to building interprofessionality among learners using community health projects.
This presentation is designed to address the Nexus Summit theme of “Interprofessional Learning for Collaborative Practice and Education”. In order to prepare health professions students for practice in interprofessional teams, they should be given adequate learning opportunities to interact with potential professional peers, gain insight into the roles, professional cultures, and contributions on a team. Community-based service learning has emerged as a valuable educational initiative for teaching interprofessional teamwork.1- 3 The community-based service-learning model challenges learners to effectively work together to address real community health needs and thus provide means of linking didactic knowledge with practical experience.
The Indiana Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network’s mission is to enhance access to quality health care within underserved and rural populations. AHEC Scholars is a two-year program designed to improve a health professions student’s practice readiness skillset. The AHEC Scholars Program is intended for health profession students (medicine, physician assistants, nursing, public health, rehabilitation therapy, and other allied health) who have a strong interest in providing care to those living in rural and medically underserved communities across Indiana. The integration of the community-health needs capstone into the foundation of the AHEC Scholars program ensures a longitudinal learning opportunity for health profession learners to collaborate together in an interdisciplinary team to address the needs of their community.
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.
