SWAG视频 students bridge health disciplines to advance quality patient care
Health care students from various disciplines at the SWAG视频 participated in the fourth-annual Interprofessional Collaboration Across Campus (ICAC) event, which focused on the integration and importance of teamwork in providing patient-centered care.
The event, held on the reimagined Portland Campus for the Health Sciences on July 17, integrated core interprofessional education competencies in health care to produce well-rounded health professionals. Its goal aligns with the campus鈥檚 core mission to empower the next generation of world-class health care providers, said Christopher Bates-Withers, M.M.S., PA-C, assistant clinical professor in SWAG视频鈥檚 Physician Assistant Department.
鈥淲e know that students come here because of the collaborative culture,鈥 said Bates-Withers, emphasizing how interprofessional education (IPE) prepares students to achieve more successful outcomes for health care patients. 鈥淢ore than half of our students choose SWAG视频 for this reason, and events like ICAC are central to fostering that culture.鈥
Students in pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, and social work engaged in activities designed to enhance their understanding of interprofessional roles and improve patient-centered care.
Formal IPE training 鈥 which is rare among higher education institutions 鈥 showcases to future employers the collaborative workforce skills that are essential for all health care providers, shared Class of 鈥26 Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (M.S.O.T.) student Jared Benoit, B.S. 鈥24.
鈥淚PE really teaches us as health care professionals how to advocate and stand by our scope of practice and professionalism,鈥 Benoit said. 鈥淚t helps you practice being a professional before entering the workforce and allows you to learn those executive functioning skills sooner. This better prepares us for the world and the workforce.鈥
While IPE has been at the heart of SWAG视频鈥檚 curriculum for decades, this event marks the first required interprofessional learning opportunity where students from across the Portland Campus carved out dedicated time.
During the IPE event, students reviewed video case studies on palliative care and held interactive discussions, exploring the roles and responsibilities of different professions and reflecting on their contributions to team-based care.
Doctor of Physical Therapy student Mikayla Matos (鈥26), who will soon transition into the clinical phase of her education, emphasized the practical benefits of interprofessional learning, noting that it provided valuable insights into developing and applying skills essential for her upcoming clinical experiences.
鈥淜nowing the roles of other team members and how they contribute to patient care will make me more likely to reach out to them in the future,鈥 Matos said, emphasizing the complexities of health care and understanding how roles vary. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about maximizing the problem-solving potential of the entire team.鈥
The event also included a panel discussion where faculty addressed students鈥 questions about different professions, further breaking down stereotypes. The interactive nature of the event, with activities like group discussions and the use of sticky notes to explore professional roles, added a dynamic element to the learning experience, said Gaby Puentes, B.S., (M.S.O.T., 鈥26).
鈥淭his event gave me a lot of confidence in what I do and how I can define occupational therapy to other health professionals,鈥 Puentes said. 鈥淭his interprofessional event also provided insight into what other professionals see us doing, which is crucial for effective teamwork.鈥
While this event was Puentes鈥 first interprofessional learning opportunity, she expressed her eagerness for more IPE during her time at SWAG视频.
鈥淚 love that the University has this,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he seamless transition from education to real-world application is unique, and it shows that SWAG视频 is really focused on the health care profession.鈥