At the National Center, we are amazed by the growing number of U.S. inter-organizational IPE collaborations and networks across universities, colleges, health systems and state governments committed to connecting interprofessional education and practice.

On March 28, Connie Delaney, Lead for the National Center Knowledge Generation Team, and Barbara Brandt, Director, visited with one of the oldest IPE collaboratives in the nation: the Rhode Island Interprofessional Education and Practice Collaborative during their semi-annual meeting.  In a “sold-out” crowd, the collaborators - Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School; Rhode Island College School of Nursing and School of Social Work; University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health Sciences and their Clinical Practice Colleagues, Lifespan, Care New England, Providence VA Medical Center, RI Action Coalition and Southern RI Area Health Education Center – presented RI IPE funded projects to celebrate their work.   
 
We were also pleased to have the opportunity to share the work of the National Center in two plenaries. Connie Delaney discussed the National Center IPE core dataset in her plenary, “Informatics and IPE & Practice”.  A frequent collaborator, Erin Fraher, Director, Program on Health and Workforce Research and Policy at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Barbara Brandt presented their “old school / new school” thinking about connecting new models of workforce planning, interprofessional education and practice. It was an enjoyable day for all!

We congratulate our Rhode Island IPE colleagues for their vibrant work together – we were inspired by their deepening, growing, and visible collegiality and commitment!

In the picture, L-R: Erin Fraher, Director, Program on Health and Workforce Research and Policy, University of North Carolina; Sue Pearlmutter, Dean of School of Social Work, Rhode Island College; Connie Delaney, Professor and Dean, University of Minnesota; Barbara Brandt, Director, National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education; Jane Williams, Dean of School of Nursing, Rhode Island College