Interprofessional Education & Practice

Wayne State University's Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is one of only a handful of colleges nationwide that houses both the PharmD program and a variety of other professional programs in health care. With this unique infrastructure, WSU Applebaum has a built-in opportunity to train students in interprofessional practice, which is critical to patient safety and quality of care.

Occupational Therapy Program Director Doreen Head works with students from a range of programs on an activity during WSU Applebaum's IPE event in January 2020.

"We encourage students to focus on developing holistic patient care plans in a climate of mutual respect and shared values. To do so, they will critically reflect on their understanding of the social determinants of health, health equity and disparity in the provision of fair care for each patient."

Dr. Aline Saad
WSU Applebaum IPEP Committee chair

Interprofessional education (IPE) teaches communication, collaboration and cooperation in patient care by bridging understanding of health professions among students across its programs. IPE has been integrated into curricula at WSU Applebaum for decades, and in 2019 a faculty taskforce was created to provide even more IPE opportunities for students beyond their required training. In 2022, the taskforce was converted into a formalized college Interprofessional Education & Practice Committee.