Provost Blog: UK's Center for Interprofessional Health Education
The questions we face in confronting complex care, chronic illness, and intractable health challenges require a multidisciplinary approach that includes clinicians, researchers, and care givers with diverse backgrounds and expertise. The UK Center for Interprofessional Health Education (IPE), led by Director Jim Norton, prepares students for collaboration with other disciplines in real-world health care environments, and develops team-oriented faculty committed to improving health care delivery.
“Students who understand the value of interprofessional collaboration are poised to become better health care providers,” said Dr. Leslie Woltenberg, associate director for UK’s Center of Interprofessional Health Education. “When there are multiple health professionals from different backgrounds working together with patients, families, careers, and communities the highest quality of care is delivered. This creates an opportunity for a more holistic view of clients’ or patients’ needs, and thus better care.”
As the University for Kentucky, we are dedicated to developing and preparing our students to deliver the highest quality of care to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. With a goal of “creating systems-based, holistic decision-making by teaching and empowering learners to solve complex problems and address issues that surpass the scope of any one profession,” the Center of Interprofessional Health Education exemplifies UK’s commitment to multidisciplinary research and healthcare.
Recently, sixteen faculty members representing the UK College of Medicine, the UK College of Public Health, the UK College of Nursing, the UK College of Health Sciences, the College of Social Work and the UK College of Pharmacy were named associate or full fellows to the Center for Interprofessional Health Education’s inaugural class. Fellows are recognized as champions of multidisciplinary education through their involvement in research, learning, and service opportunities bringing together a diverse group of professions.
Dean of the College of Nursing, Janie Heath, recently commented on the new class saying, “The new fellows and associates are incredibly impressive. They have been on the forefront of IPE long before we even knew what IPE was. Because of their work, faculty members across the health professions have embraced IPE and are now teaching, learning, and working together as teams.”
I want to extend our congratulations to the new fellows and associates and the UK Center for Interprofessional Health Education for showcasing our efforts to create a healthier future for Kentucky.
Recognizing early success and extraordinary potential, sophisticated health-related research and care at UK is marching steadily toward providing the most advanced care closer to home for Kentucky families. UK’s vast network for clinical outreach practices across Kentucky, our Center for Clinical and Translational Research, our diverse array of health colleges, the new research building, and the work being done in UK’s Center for Interprofessional Health Education position us to be a major player in this important, national endeavor.
It’s one of many ways we are a university for Kentucky.
