Courses, Simulations, and Activities
All credited interprofessional courses may be found in the VCU Bulletin.
IPEC 501. Foundations of Interprofessional Practice. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Open to students enrolled in a professional health science degree program. An introductory study of the concept of interprofessional collaborative practice, this course includes units on health care systems, teams and teamwork, and professional roles and responsibilities. Students actively work within interprofessional student teams to apply course content during specific learning activities that build a foundation of the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for effective interprofessional practice in contemporary health care.
Offered Fall semester only. Required course for DPT (G1), OTD (G1), MPH, DDS (D1), DH (DH3), BSN (Jr Accelerated and Traditional), and PharmD (P1) programs.
IPEC 502. Interprofessional Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Enrollment is restricted to students in the College of Health Professions and the schools of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. A study of interprofessional quality improvement and patient safety, this course includes units on quality in the workplace, error in the health care system and improving health care. Students actively work within interprofessional student teams to apply course content to specific learning activities for interprofessional quality improvement and patient safety practice. Graded as pass/fail.
Offered Spring semester only. Required course for MD (M1), BSN (Jr Accelerated and Traditional), and PharmD (P2) programs.
For Spring 2024: Assigned cohort dates and exact meeting locations in MMEC will be posted to Canvas about one week prior to the start of the semester.
IPEC 528. Global Health and Health Equity. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. This course will cover health disparities, health equity, international health, and being a community member as well as a provider and advocate for the community. The course will focus on practicing health care in a low-resource setting, health disparities that exist in these settings, and the concepts and goals of what it means to be a health care provider in low-resource settings both domestically and abroad. Participation in a health services brigade is not required. Graded as Pass/Fail.
Offered Spring semester only. Elective.
IPEC 561. IPE Virtual Geriatric Case. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online). 2 credits. Health professional learners from multiple disciplines will collaborate to identify health care needs and plan care for an older adult. Contemporary theoretical concepts and evidence-based recommendations will be integrated within a complex, unfolding case that crosses all settings of care: ambulatory, inpatient, post-acute, community-based and palliative/end-of-life. Patient- and family-centered care concepts will also be emphasized throughout each module. Learners who participate in this preceptor-supervised virtual case will make decisions based on their discipline-specific geriatric/gerontological competencies, practice identifying and retrieving evidence to fill gaps in knowledge, reinforce understandings about the scope of practice for other health professions, and expand working capacity for interprofessionalism and team-based care. Graded as pass/fail.
Programs assign learners to one semester, either Fall or Spring. Required course for MD (M4), BSN (Sr. Accelerated and Traditional), and PharmD (P4) programs.
IPEC 563. Interprofessional Complex Care Coordination. 2-3 Hours.
Semester course; 2-3 lecture hours. 2-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits. This course focuses on the health care utilization of complex patients and identifies root causes of patients who require frequent health care services. Students actively explore topics such as how social determinants impact health, motivating change in others, how best to link complex patients to community services, the complexity of medication adherence and the importance of interprofessional teams to future professional success. Students build confidence in interprofessional health care delivery by working within interprofessional student teams to apply concepts of care coordination to complex patients. Graded as pass/fail.
Offered in Fall and Spring semesters. Open to health professional learners on MCV Campus, and other learners as approved by advisor.
IPEC 591. Interprofessional Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for credit. Explores specific topics in interprofessional education and collaborative care theory and practice. Sections may include lecture and/or clinical hours. See Schedule of Classes for topics offered each semester. Graded as pass/fail.
Interprofessional Critical Care Simulation (ICCS)
Senior medical and nursing learners develop patient-centered team behaviors to optimize clinical performance and patient safety.
Offered over limited dates during the Summer and Fall semesters only. Required activity for MD (M4) and BSN (Sr Accelerated and Traditional) programs.
Interprofessional Health Assessment Simulation (IPHAS)
Oral health and advanced nursing learners collaborate to focus on a clinical scenario common to primary care, where the healthcare needs of patients often span the expertise of multiple healthcare providers. The purpose of this interprofessional simulation is for learners to practice evaluating a patient from their professional perspective and communicating patient data to an interprofessional team.
Offered over limited dates in the Fall semester only. Required activity for DDS (D3), MSN (MSN2), and DH (DH4) programs.
Clinical Programs
Spearheaded by the VCU School of Nursing, the Mobile Health and Wellness Program delivers weekly wellness clinics that focus on health assessment, monitoring and coaching in nine community-based sites across the central Virginia region. About 100 VCU undergraduate and graduate learners from VCU schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine, Social Work and the departments of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Kinesiology and Health Sciences and Psychology staff the clinics with guidance from and in collaboration with VCU faculty.
Community members who participate in the program get access to key services to help them independently manage their health care needs, receive help with care coordination and participate in wellness coaching and programs, with the aim of proactively managing health issues and social needs before they develop into emergencies.