The SEARCH Project: Acquainting Students in the Health Professions with Interprofessional Care

The SEARCH NH project (Student Experiences and Rotations in Community Health in New Hampshire) was a 3-year collaboration of the New Hampshire Area Health Education Center, four educational institutions, and four community health centers. The purpose was to introduce students in the health professions to interprofessional care in underserved areas. It was funded by the National Health Services Corps. The background of the project, its development, and findings are described. Seventy-four students from undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, a physician assistant program, and a medical school participated. Prior to a focused immersion experience in a community health center, they were exposed didactically to concepts of interprofessional care. Findings from the collaborative project are reported using a clinical microsystems framework to analyze student reflections on their experiences and resultant learning. In quotes offered as exemplars, students report increased appreciation of the clinical microsystem's 5 Ps: purpose, professionals, patients, patterns, and processes in interprofessional work.