Skip to Main Content

Interprofessional Education: IPE & FHS

This guide is intended to help clinicians, students, instructors, and any individuals interested in Interprofessional Education (IPE) to find the content and resources you require.

Program for Interprofessional Practice, Education and Research (PIPER)

Welcome to the Program for Interprofessional Practice, Education and Research (PIPER) at McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences.

PIPER works to foster a culture of interprofessional education and collaboration across the Faculty of Health Sciences.

FHS IPE Competencies

In the Faculty of Health Sciences, IPE competencies for students have been identified. Specifically, prior to graduation, students will

  1. Describe their own professional roles and responsibilities and the general scope of practice of other health professionals to colleagues and patients/clients
  2. Know how to involve other professions in patient care appropriate to their roles, responsibilities and competence.
  3. Collaborate with other professions to establish common goals, provide care for individuals and caregivers, and facilitate shared decision-making, problem-solving and conflict resolution
  4. Contribute to team effectiveness by sharing information, listening attentively, respecting others’ opinions, demonstrating flexibility, using a common language, providing feedback to others, and responding to feedback from others

IPE activities vary in terms of complexity and length. At PIPER, IPE activities are defined as either exposure, immersion or mastery activities. The definitions of each are below:

1. Exposure

These activities are primarily knowledge based relating to the first 2 competencies. The activities will focus on "describing roles and responsibilities" and "demonstrating awareness". Activities will be of shorter term duration. Examples include:

  • shadowing experiences
  • journal clubs
  • special event seminars
  • "lunch and learn"
  • Interprofessional Student Council approved activities

2. Immersion

These activities are typically of longer duration than exposure activities and require higher levels of interaction between the health professional students. All four competencies may be addressed through these activities. Students will be required to collaborate with other health professional students, make decisions and solve problems together. Examples include:

  • Tutorial Courses
  • E-based Learning Activities
  • Special Projects
  • Communication Skills Labs
  • Clinical Initiatives

3. Mastery

This is the most complex and integrative group of activities. Students will integrate their IP knowledge and skills in a team environment. Typically this will be of longer duration. Students will build relationships in a team environment and be actively engaged in team decision making around patient/client care. Mastery activities are primarily clinical education experiences.

IPE Requirements by Program

Program 

Description of IPE requirements: 

Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)
  • The BHSc (Honours) Program does not have any formal requirements.  Many of their courses include interdisciplinary learning objectives/foundations.  
  • They are in the process of their next IQAP cycle and collecting information on which courses contribute to which program outcomes (one of which is related to interdisciplinary learning). 
  • Interdisciplinary is used since this is not a professional/clinical program and it is therefore more representative of what is happening in BHSc. 

Child Life Studies 
  • Stream 1 students are required to complete the team-based curriculum in their first year. All other events are advertised but are optional for them to attend. 

Medicine 
  • For the Class of 2023: Preclerkship requirements have been revised. Learners are required to complete any two of events or home visits.  
  • The events could be workshops, conferences, the team curriculum, or course that involves IPE like the communications course. The main criteria for this is that it must be in the community.  
  • Clerkship requirements have not changed: 6 Encounter Cards from 6 different AHPs in the clinical setting. 

Nursing 
  • Presently nursing does not have a mandatory IP credit component. Plans are in the works (as we speak) to include 2 IP credits in the 4 year degree (as a starting point). These events would include any PIPER activity or any other activity that fits the criteria of a PIPER event (for example, ACLS, workshops or IP conferences) 
  • Our current plan is to include 2 mandatory IP credits over the 4 year degree. This would be quite flexible across the 3 sites (any activity that would include more than one healthcare group; ie. PIPER events etc). 

Occupational Therapy 
  • All OT students are required to participate in the PIPER team based curriculum and SRS EPOD event.
  • In addition, there is an IPE that includes first year OT, PT students and practicing or end of their schooling OTA/PTA's.
  • There is an IPE with OT/PT/SLP students titled 'Active for Life'. 

Physician Assistant 
  • Students are required to attend Interprofessional Education Day and are expected to attend 1-2 endorsed PIPER events.  

Physiotherapy 
  • All students must participate in the PIPER team based curriculum PLUS one PIPER approved event (any level of IPE credit); 2-3 times per year students submit an IPE log that tracks these requirements as well as IPE activities on clinical rotations.
  • All students must also participate in SRS EPOD event 

Speech-Language Pathology 
  • All SLP students must participate in the PIPER team based curriculum and the SRS EPOD event.
  • Other PIPER offerings are optional but a couple meet requirements for students to count clinical experience hours toward their licensing requirements. 

PIPER Research & Presentations