Celebrating progress and productivity amid challenges.
The Michigan Center for Interprofessional Education (IPE) has released its 2019-20 annual report. With more than a dozen pages of data, photos, and graphics, it documents five years of progress toward transforming the future of collaborative health practice at the University of Michigan and beyond. It also shows recommitment to racial equity & support for health professionals amid the COVID-19 pandemic (view report as a PDF).
“During this academic year, more than 300 faculty from the 10 health science schools located on the three U-M campuses were involved in Michigan Center for IPE activities,” said Frank Ascione, director for the Center for IPE and a U-M professor of pharmacy. “More than 3,000 health science students participated across 35 IPE opportunities—and we welcomed the U-M schools of law, education, business, and engineering into the IPE movement. Over the past five years, faculty’s IPE scholarly productivity has been impressive, ranging from 25 to 38 publications annually, and we have won multiple internal, regional, and international awards for excellence.” The IPE successes have been made possible by continued support from the U-M health science deans and Office of the Provost.
Since late winter, COVID-19 has disrupted both education and clinical practice. It has also led to unprecedented collaboration and resilience among U-M students, faculty, clinicians, and staff. As this year’s IPE annual report illustrates, efforts to deal with the pandemic benefit from the five years of building a skilled network for interprofessional practice and education at U-M.
“We have physicians, residents and fellows, nurses, advanced practice providers (physician assistants and nurse practitioners), respiratory, physical, speech, and occupational therapists, medical and nursing assistants, pharmacists, social workers and many other health care professionals providing compassionate care to our patients and families,” explains Carol R. Bradford, Michigan Medicine chief academic officer and U-M Medical School executive vice dean for academic affairs. “They are on the front line, working countless hours to do their part to stem this pandemic. Our students have had their learning environment affected, but are volunteering within Michigan Medicine and in their communities.”
If perusing the annual reportinspires you to become more involved with the growing movement around interprofessional education and practice, please explore the Center for IPE website or email [email protected].
