LINC Clinical IPE Experience Successfully Launched
In spring 2024, 757 students from five schools at UT Health San Antonio participated in the inaugural university-wide launch of the LINC Clinical IPE Experience, which serves as the third and final interprofessional learning activity within the LINC Longitudinal IPE Program. The LINC Clinical IPE Experience aims to (1) facilitate interprofessional socialization, (2) empower students to evaluate interprofessional clinical learning environments, and (3) prepare students to navigate real-world interprofessional collaborative practice settings.
Led by Dr. Temple Ratcliffe from the Long School of Medicine, the interprofessional faculty team behind this successful launch included Drs. Angela Kennedy (School of Health Professions), Elena Leach (School of Dentistry), Rebecca Moote (UT Austin College of Pharmacy), and Marta Vives (School of Nursing).
The illustrated case study pictured above, published last year in The Clinical Teacher, served as a foundational learning tool. Using the case, interprofessional groups of students explored complex issues associated with clinical learning, including care coordination, interprofessional communication, medical errors, and often-ignored emotional aspects experienced. Students then applied lessons learned to their real-world clinical learning environments.
After completing the LINC Clinical IPE Experience, student reported increased knowledge of process improvement, strengthened appreciation of diverse points of view, better understanding of the importance of individual and team performance improvements, recognition of how unique qualities of team members strengthen effective interprofessional communication, and understanding of how utilizing the complementary knowledge, skills, and abilities of interprofessional team members optimizes patient care.
Written feedback from students further underscored the positive impact of this unique learning experience:
• “This LINC Clinical IPE Experience allowed me to understand the thought process other professions take when presented with a patient scenario.”—Doctor of Occupational Therapy student
• “The LINC Clinical IPE Experience . . . enhanced team function by allowing us to comprehend each other’s responsibilities.”—Doctor of Physical Therapy student
• “From this educational experience, I’ve learned the pivotal role of effective communication in healthcare.”— Bachelor of Science in Nursing student
• “Through the Clinical IPE Experience, I learned effective communication strategies . . . and developed skills in conflict resolution and consensus building.” —Doctor of Dental Surgery student
• “The LINC Clinical IPE Experience significantly enhanced my ability to improve team function and ultimately health outcomes.” —Doctor of Medicine student