Health Professions Education Leaders Share Strategies, Tools and Support to Advance Collaboration Across the Health Professions

Last week’s inaugural Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Interprofessional Deans’ Leadership Program (IDLP) engaged 42 deans and senior academic leaders across 15 IPEC member associations’ schools from across the health professions. This three-day interprofessional education (IPE) program facilitated by the Academy for Academic Leadership took place at the Association of American Medical Colleges building in Washington, DC from November 29 – December 1.

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Distinguished speakers representing leadership from dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, and public health education showcased best practice methods and models of interprofessional collaboration, with presentations by:

• Carol A. Aschenbrener, M.D., former Chief Medical Officer, Association of American Medical Schools
• Amy V. Blue, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Interprofessional Education and Associate Dean for Educational Affairs, University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions
• Cecile A. Feldman, D.M.D., M.B.A., Dean and Professor, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Dental Medicine
• Jeffery P. Gold, M.D., Chancellor, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• N. Karl Haden, Ph.D., President, Academy for Academic Leadership
• Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges
• Lucinda Maine, Ph.D., R.Ph., Vice President, Interprofessional Education Collaborative, and Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
• Deborah E. Trautman, Ph.D., R.N., Treasurer/Secretary, Interprofessional Education Collaborative, and President and Chief Executive Officer, American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• Richard W. Valachovic, D.M.D., M.P.H., President, Interprofessional Education Collaborative, and President and Chief Executive Officer, American Dental Education Association

“The IDLP is an important and progressive step toward preparing academic leaders to advance interprofessional education and practice on a national scale,” said Dr. Valachovic. “It was inspiring to see such high levels of enthusiasm and commitment to fostering IPE among the education leaders who joined us for this groundbreaking event.”

The competency-based curriculum delivered focused on such topics as leadership assessment and self-analysis, collaboration, conflict management and communication, facilitation of institutional and cultural change, strategic thinking and planning, emerging models of health care, uses of technology, strategies for working with senior administration, financial management, public relations, and ideas for influencing policy.

Distinguishing this leadership program was its interprofessional focus. As Scott S. De Rossi, D.M.D., M.B.A., Dean of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, explained, “Many leadership programs focus on individual growth. Yet leadership is relational. The IPEC IDLP put interprofessional relationships at the center.”

Peer groups coached, collaborated, and debriefed about general and IPE leadership issues. Participants raved about the networking and relationships formed.

“The IPEC IDLP enabled me to meet colleagues from other professions, hear their best practices, and learn new methods to advance IPE,” said Mary Lopez, Ph.D., RN, Dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing. “The bonding our table reached as a group was magic. We were very open and able to listen, ask questions, and commit to each other.”

Illustrating the program’s breadth and value, Martell Teasley, Ph.D., M.S.W., Dean of University of Utah College of Social Work, said, “I got a great sense of how IPE can be very instrumental in terms of social workers working in health care settings. I think this is the wave of the future.”

Information about the 2018 IDLP will be released in the coming weeks. Application details will be available online in February 2018.

About the Interprofessional Education Collaborative

IPEC’s mission is to ensure that new and current health professionals are proficient in the competencies essential for patient-centered, community- and population-oriented, interprofessional, collaborative practice. Eligible institutional members must be associations that represent and serve academic units at institutions of higher education that provide an educational program leading to the award of one or more academic degrees to students in one or more of the health professions that provide direct care to patients. For more information about IPEC, visit www.ipecollaborative.org.

About AAL

AAL is a collaborative of scholars, educational specialists, and leaders who have, for more than a decade, assisted institutions and organizations to strengthen their unique value to the people they serve. AAL achieves its mission through professional development and consulting services. AAL’s clients and partners include universities, associations, and corporations worldwide. More information about AAL and its clients, programs, and consulting staff can be found at aalgroup.org.

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