Development of an Innovative Interprofessional Palliative Care Student Learning Collaborative.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Palliative Care
• Interprofessional Practice

Background:

• Primary palliative care training is proposed to address workforce shortages in hospice and palliative care.
• Interprofessional education is optimal for teaching foundational palliative care principles due to its focus on collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, pilot, and evaluate an innovative interprofessional primary palliative care student learning collaborative.

Main Methods:

• A semester-long, hybrid-format interprofessional learning collaborative was developed.
• Content was based on the National Consensus Project's Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care.
• Pre-post measures assessed educational needs, and post-program evaluations were conducted.

Main Results:

• The program included 25 students from 10 health professional programs.
• Participants reported increased knowledge after the program.
• Positive evaluations highlighted the interprofessional design as a key strength.

Conclusions:

• Integrating interprofessional learning into palliative care curricula can strengthen healthcare teams.
• Exposure to diverse professional approaches enhances appreciation for each member's role in palliative care delivery.