Life Span Geriatric Interdisciplinary Curriculum for Preparing Future Health Care Professionals

Interdisciplinary health professions education: an exploration of two programs

“…A particularly energetic nonprofit organization in Louisville, Kentuclgr, called LIFE SPAN includes educators, community leaders, and long-term care administrators. Among other activities, LIFE SPAN has developed an interdisciplinary team curriculum, the purpose of which is to provide students with theoretical and experiential educational training in such team practice components as team dynamics, assessment, problem solving, and patient care planning (Holland et al, 1994). Students from many area educational institutions and a wide variety of disciplines enhance their practices and improve tfieir abilities in team interactions.…”

“…In any team setting, the logistics of assembling all members of a team in one physical space can be prohibitive except with the aid of technology. Educational programs intent upon imparting true team building skills would be remiss if tiiey did not help future professionals leam how readily this perplexing problem can be overcome through electronic means (Holland et aL, 1994). Indeed, tiie leadership of the Midwest Rural Telemedicine Consortium, based in Des Moines, Iowa, reports that the lack of assimilation of the technology by the practitioners already in ti\e field is their greatest frustration-the technology itself is at tiie ready to provide high speed, high quality, and immediately accessible communication and teleconsultation to those who will only use it (Maakestad & Eastmaiv personal communication, April 1,1996).…”

“…The LIFE SPAN project in Kentucky, which we visited earlier, counts on community links for its success. But the community links did not create ttiemselves--program leaders have invested in the establishment of linkages witii community leaders and facilities and the investments did not stop diere (Holland et aL, 1994).…”

“…The multiplicity of professions taking part is tiie great commtmity benefit including dental hygienists, physical ttierapists, occupational Med. These computer skills represent an integral part of the success of the program in enticing students to consider rural practice since e-mail, internet resource searches, and other electronic commimications links help to ease the professional isolation which is often cited by practitioners as a drawback to rural practice (Holland, Roberts, Van Stewart, & Wright 1994). By providing these skills in a nongraded and supportive seminar atmosphere, the students are able to gain important workplace skills in a non-threatening way so tfiat "technology anxiety" is reduced.…”

“…Working together is an effective way to relate classroom education to clinical practice, allowing students the opportunity to validate "book" knowledge while sharpening necessary skills (Wieczorek et al, 1976). The hallmarks of quality learning are evident in ttie results of ttie many pilot interdisciplinary educational projects appearing in the literature (Erkel et aL, 1995;Zungolo, 1994;Oark, 1994a;Holland, Roberts, Van Stewart^ and Wright 1994;Peck, 1996;Robertson & McDaniel, 1995;Kaufman et al, 1989). The process of team development itself is an important form of learning because it is experiential, collaborative, and cooperative (Qark, 1994a).…”