Faculty members from four institutions were involved in the pilot program for the new six-month interprofessional elective.
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A new trend in education is making great strides in patient care and health care workers’ productivity. Interprofessional education, also known as IPE, is at the forefront of preparing students from various health professions to work together and communicate effectively in teams.

“Through this particular program, the quality and safety of patient care and professional work will be greatly improved when students enter the workforce,” said Jan Patterson, M.D., professor in the UT Health Science Center San Antonio Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases and director of the Center for Patient Safety and Health Policy.

Faculty from four institutions collaborate on pilot program
This past spring, a weeklong pilot program in IPE conducted by faculty members from four institutions, introduced 15 students to HIV/AIDS case management. The program offered classroom education, a group case analysis and a visit to University Hospital’s HIV/AIDS clinic downtown, which included patient scenario visits to the nurse or nurse practitioner, case manager, social worker, dietitian, physician and pharmacy. Participating institutions included the UT Health Science Center’s Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions; UT Austin’s College of Pharmacy; UT Houston’s School of Public Health; and UT San Antonio’s College of Public Policy.

Six-month IPE elective to debut this fall
A six-month longitudinal elective in IPE, which includes a community service learning project, will be offered through the Health Science Center in fall 2009. For more information, visit www.uthscsa.edu/CPSHP/ipe.aspx or contact Letti Bresnahan, M.B.A., at (210) 567-0299.

Eleven faculty members involved in the program
Faculty members, including seven from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, involved in the interprofessional elective include:

• Delia Bullock, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine (infectious diseases) at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• Judi Colver, M.M.S., faculty associate of family and community medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• Martha Medrano, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• Amruta Parekh, M.D., M.S.P.H., educational development specialist in the Center for Patient Safety and Health Policy at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• Jan Patterson, M.D., professor of medicine (infectious diseases) and director of the Center for Patient Safety and Health Policy at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• Ruben Restrepo, M.D., assistant professor of respiratory care at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• Kathleen Stevens, Ed.D., RN, professor of acute nursing care at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio
  
• John Herbold, D.V.M, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of epidemiology at the UT School of Public Health at Houston
  
• Maureen Rubin, Ph.D. assistant professor of social work at UT San Antonio
  
• Veronica Young, Pharm.D., M.P.H., clinical assistant professor of pharmacotherapy at UT Austin

Katherine McDuffie, M.S.N., RN, a doctoral nursing student at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, is also involved in the IPE.