Teaching interdisciplinary geriatrics ambulatory care: a case study

An elective course on current concepts in adult ambulatory care

OBJECTIVE

To design and evaluate a doctor of pharmacy course exploring disease states commonly encountered in ambulatory care, while applying literature to clinical practice and promoting a continual learning mindset.

DESIGN

This elective incorporated a learner-centered teaching approach. Each week, 2 groups of students were assigned a clinical trial to present to their peers. The focus was on clinical application and impact, rather than literature evaluation. A social networking group on Facebook was used to expose students to pharmacy information outside the classroom.

ASSESSMENT

Student grades were determined by multiple activities: presentations, participation and moderation of the Facebook group, class participation, quiz scores, and quiz question development. Course evaluations served as a qualitative assessment of student learning and perceptions, quizzes were the most objective assessment of student learning, and presentation evaluations were the most directed assessment of course goals.

CONCLUSION

This elective was an innovative approach to teaching ambulatory care that effectively filled a curricular void. Successful attainment of the primary course goals and objectives was demonstrated through course evaluations, surveys, and quiz and presentation scores.

The longitudinal elderly person shadowing program: outcomes from an interprofessional senior partner mentoring program

The University of Saskatchewan's Longitudinal Elderly Person Shadowing (LEPS) is an interprofessional senior mentors program (SMP) where teams of undergraduate students in their first year of medicine, pharmacy, and physiotherapy; 2nd year of nutrition; 3rd year nursing; and 4th year social work partner with community-dwelling older adults. Existing literature on SMPs provides little information on the sustainability of attitudinal changes toward older adults or changes in interprofessional attitudes. LEPS students completed Polizzi's Aging Semantic Differential and the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale. Perceptions of older men and women improved significantly and changes were sustained after one year. However, few changes were seen in interprofessional attitudes.

An interprofessional course in bioethics: training for real-world dilemmas

Future health professionals are often educated with other students of their same discipline when, in practice, they will be working with professionals from other backgrounds to provide care for the patient. Complex issues of ethical concern are common to health professionals due to modern technology. This paper describes the evolution of an interprofessional bioethics course that had a unique combination of students and faculty. Innovative teaching methods were utilized and continuously refined based on student evaluations. Students commonly cited the interprofessional interactions as the most enjoyable part of the learning experience. Establishing a patient-centered focus and an appreciation of the contributions of other disciplines, students learned how to apply ethical decision-making to real cases. At the conclusion of the course, students reported improved attitudes toward interprofessional teamwork. This course format and teaching techniques may be applied at other universities looking for linkages to encourage consistent interprofessional collaboration across disciplines.