Resource Center

A frequently described barrier to the implementation of interprofessional education leading to interprofessional collaboration is the silo phenomenon.  Historically, students in the health and health care professions are trained in isolation from other professions, and are thus limited in the opportunities to learn about each other prior to engaging in the care or management environment where they are destined to work together.  Open questions regarding silos are whether silos serve a purpose and, if so, can the function of silos be achieved while promoting greater integration of training a

The Foundations of Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration (FIPCC) course was launched in 2010 by the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center.  As an introductory course, FIPCC brings together early-stage learners from across the health, health care, and health-care associated professions to engage each other in an interprofessional learning environment.  In the Fall of 2013, over 1000 enrolled students from 13 professions will meet in 85 mixed professional groups to engage in exercises designed to promote development of inter

As we have ramped up the national center, I’ve had the good fortune to hear from many of you who have shared your work, asked questions and requested support for developing and implementing interprofessional education and collaborative practice.  I’m seeing themes in your work and opportunities to connect across efforts. Importantly, they are the same themes we have included in our vision for the national center as a coordinating and collaborating organization:

The University at Buffalo Academic Health Center (AHC) recently appointed Paul T. Wietig, Ed.D., Assistant Vice President of its newly created Office of Interprofessional Education. A longtime educator, Dr. Wietig is responsible for developing infrastructure and facilitating staff development to identify and deliver best curricular instruction and activities for interprofessional education across all Schools of the AHC.

In early January — to begin the new year with a bang — we sent our first communication about the new National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education to more than 1,000 leaders interested in more effective health care delivery. The overwhelming response to my email tells me once again that the conversation about interprofessional practice and education is one of the most important topics in today’s health care environment. It also tells me that keeping the conversation robust and real time is an essential element to our success.

That’s why I’m doing this blog.

Our Vision:

To strengthen interprofessional education and advance the aim of improving health of the population, enhancing patient care and controlling costs

Our Goal:

To close the gap between higher education and practice communities by rigorously aligning their needs and interests

 Our Strategy:

We will engage higher education and health system leaders in a “nexus” to incubate innovative ideas, define the field and guide interprofessional education program development and research.