Interprofessional Case-Based Problem-Solving: Learning from the CLARION Experience

Abstract

Students who aspire to a career in health care need to be educated in the practical requirements of effective health care. These requirements are premised on understanding the perspective of the patient, appreciating and respecting the contributions of the range of the professions involved in health care, and being able to work and communicate effectively with all stakeholders. These competencies are best achieved through interprofessional, case-based education. The positive outcomes of students' experiences in the national CLARION competition stimulated the development of a series of interprofessional, case-based seminars to expose more students to this valuable form of experiential learning. This paper provides an example of how faculty from different professions can work together to develop their own case-based seminars using standardized patients to provide students with valuable interprofessional learning and research opportunities. Both the steps involved in the development and implementation of the seminars and lessons learned are described for faculty seeking interprofessional simulation experiences for students.