CIPECP Interprofessional Scholars Program Announces Scholars
>Brock Williams and Hailey Teachout, both rising fourth-year medical students, have achieved LSU Health New Orleans's Interprofessional Scholar designation.
The Interprofessional Scholars Program is an initiative developed by LSU Health's Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (CIPECP).
The program was created by students with guidance from center faculty for students who wanted to take a deeper dive into interprofessional opportunities beyond the current Team Up™ curriculum.
Tina Patel Gunaldo, PhD, DPT, MHS is the director of the center.
Dr. Gunaldo said the program is rigorous and all activity considered for the designation must fall outside of the mandated curriculum.
“The purpose of the Interprofessional Scholars Program is to broaden the pre-health professional's interprofessional lens in at least three practice areas, including education, scholarship, leadership and/or practice,” Dr. Gunaldo said. “Interprofessional Scholars are our future champions of interprofessional collaborative practice focused on improving patient and population outcomes.”
Dr. Gunaldo said that both Williams and Teachout impressed CIPECP faculty and staff
members with their enthusiasm to learn and apply interprofessional practices.
Teachout (pictured left) served as an IPSA board member and a NOWS Childrens' Coordinator
and had reached out to Dr. Gunaldo about assisting with Team Up™ presentation grading.
Dr. Gunaldo suggested that Teachout pursue the designation.
“This experience allowed me to pursue with intention interprofessional growth and emphasized the importance of interprofessional education. I have received such great support throughout the entire process which I feel has allowed me to flourish. This experience has not only made my medical school experience more well-rounded but will also have a strong, positive impact on my future career as a psychiatrist,” Teachout said.
Williams' (pictured below, right) involvement began when he got involved with the Student Team Up™ committee during his first and second years of medical school.
“This was an amazing opportunity to impact the curriculum about future healthcare providers interacting with each other to provide the best patient care possible. Being involved in those committees and other projects through CIPECP furthered my interest and passion to foster strong connections within the hospital setting. This program was a way to channel that enthusiasm while getting to see the intricacies of higher education,” Williams said.
Williams also noted that his biggest take away was realized during his third-year
rot
ations. “It was amazing to see the theory we talked about in the classroom come to
life in the clinical setting. Seeing the rounds that included different professions
of healthcare put into perspective the individual goals different providers had for
the patient. The lenses these providers viewed patient care allowed them to highlight
problems and solutions that I would have never thought about. It really is all about
teamwork to give the patient the best care possible,” he added.
Dr. Gunaldo said the designation was the ideal cap of both Williams and Teachout as students. “Both Brock and Hailey engaged in self-directed learning journeys that will inform their future actions as physicians, and as members and leaders of interprofessional teams. The culminating component prior to receiving the IP Scholar designation is an oral reflection of learning, development and thoughts about a future that includes interprofessional practice,” Dr. Gunaldo said. “During their reflections, both Scholars personally offered their time to support interprofessional education. It is wonderful to know that our Scholars welcome the designation, but also want to continue developing their interprofessional lens through mentoring,” she added.