Consistent with the literature, we found that educators at our institution value interprofessional education (IPE) but struggle to incorporate IPE learning activities into the curricula of demanding health science programs. The perception that IPE learning activities are inefficient further contributes to the challenge.1 One solution is to engage in more intentional approaches to integrate IPE into existing curricula. We designed an IPE Research Poster Conference for nursing, dental hygiene, and counseling students that simultaneously incorporated required curricular content while promoting attainment of core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice. Addressing both IPE and discipline specific content was our practical approach to meet expected program outcomes in health science majors with limited time and resources for implementation. Existing course assignments were modified to require students to work together as part of interprofessional teams to address current challenges in health care and improve community-based population health through evidence-based practices. The interprofessional student research projects were presented at a college-wide student research conference. The conference created an opportunity for students across disciplines to collaborate, interact, and engage with each other in health science research.

Reference