Interprofessional Education (IPE)

Interprofessional education provides students from different disciplines with opportunities to learn about, from and with each other. Interprofessional education prepares students to enter the workforce and collaborate effectively as a member of a health care team. A key step in moving health systems from fragmented operations to optimal efficiency, interprofessional education contributes to improved health care outcomes.

Graduate students studying physical therapy, speech language pathology, occupational therapy and more collaborated to assist a fictional patient during Kean's 2019 Interprofessional Grand Rounds program. The event was designed to prepare students to work effectively on healthcare teams after graduation. 

IPE Core Competencies

The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) has outlined four core competencies for education in the health professions:

1. Values and Ethics: Work with individuals of other professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values.
2. Roles and Responsibilities: Use knowledge of your profession and other disciplines to assess and address the health care needs of patients and to promote and advance the health of populations.
3. Interprofessional Communication: Communicate with patients, families, communities and professionals in health and other fields in a responsive and responsible manner that supports a team approach to the promotion and maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disease.
4. Teams and Teamwork: Apply relationship-building values and the principles of team dynamics to perform effectively in different team roles. Plan, deliver and evaluate patient and population-centered care. Create health programs and policies that are safe, timely, efficient, effective and equitable.

Professor Michael Bobbitt, Counselor Education

Professor Kelly Sullivan, Occupational Therapy

Professor Pam Griffin, Therapeutic Recreation

Professor Adrienne Garro, Ph.D., Advanced Studies in Psychology

Professor Sarah Patten, Ph.D., School of Communication Disorders and Deafness 

Professor Allison Kellish, Ph.D.,  Physical Therapy

Professor Soundaram Ramaswami, Ph.D., Educational Leadership

Professor Jill Fischer, Genetic Counseling

Professor Keri Giordano, Ph.D., Advanced Studies in Psychology  

Professor Marquis Chandler, Ph.D., Social Work 

Professor Carol Biscardi, Ph. D., Physician Assistant Studies 

Learn more

Co-authored by Kean professors Mahchid Namazi, George P. Holan, Sharon E. McKenzie, Prisca O. Anuforo, Jennifer A. Pax, Laurie Knis-Matthews and Donald R. Marks, "An Exploratory Survey Study of Grand Rounds as an Interprofessional Education Tool for Graduate Students in the Health Professions" explores the benefits of Grand Rounds for IPE and the academic process for developing IPE activities.  The article was published in the April 15, 2019 edition of Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups.