by: The National Center

The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education (NCIPE) is privileged to present the first-ever Pioneer Award to the Interprofessional Education Collaborative – or as they are known – IPEC – for their groundbreaking work in advancing the field of interprofessional education and collaborative practice. 

IPEC has worked tirelessly to pull together six professions – dentistry, allopathic and osteopathic medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health –  and establish national core competencies. This work has reverberated throughout the U.S. and world and is now expanding to 15 professions. Real change in learning and health outcomes will only occur within professions that collaborate across professions. The work of the IPEC has established a path to accelerate this vision into a reality.

Several members of the original IPEC expert panel were on hand to receive the award at the 2016 National Center Summit including Amy Blue, University of Florida; Susan Meyer, University of Pittsburgh; Madeline Schmitt, University of Rochester, and Leo Rouse the American Dental Education Association. Accepting the award and providing background on IPEC and its ongoing mission was Richard W. Valachovic, DMD, MPH, President and CEO, American Dental Education Association, and President, Interprofessional Education Collaborative.

The IPEC bond recently suffered a loss with the death of their chair, Dr. Harrison Spencer, President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.  As stated on the ASPPH website, Dr. Spencer was most proud of co-founding the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) with his medical, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry peers in 2009, where he had served as chair of the board. 

For the leadership of Dr. Spencer and his colleagues, the National Center recognize the Interprofessional Education Collaborative for extraordinary leadership in bringing together consensus across these many professions.