Interprofessional education

Interprofessional education (also known as inter-professional education) refers to the teaching and learning of students from different professions together during all or part of their professional training in order to promote collaborative working in their professional practice.

Overview

Interprofessional learning involves students learning from students from other professions, as well as learning with students from other professions, for example in the classroom, and learning about other professions.

Associated terms are "multi-professional education", "common learning", "shared learning", and "interdisciplinary learning."

There is debate about the effectiveness of interprofessional education in enabling collaborative practice. Research and systematic review continue to identify some evidence of effectiveness in changing attitudes. But more empirical evidence of longer term impact is needed, particularly in respect of effects on service quality and service users’ and patients’ experience. Nevertheless, more evaluations of IPE have been conducted than for many other commonly accepted educational approaches.

External links

Resources and organisations:
* [http://www.cihc.ca CIHC: Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative]
* [http://www.caipe.org.uk CAIPE: Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education]
* [http://www.eipen.org EIPEN: European Interprofessional Education Network]