Interprofessional Leadership Training in MCH Social Work
The need to train health social workers to practice interprofessionally is an essential goal of social work education. Although most health social workers have exposure to multidisciplinary practice within their field work, few social work education programs incorporate interprofessional learning as an integrated component of both course work and field experiences (McPherson, Headrick, & Moss, 2001; Reeves, Lewin, Espin, & Zwaranstein, 2010; Weinstein, Whittington, & Leiba, 2003).
Reducing barriers to interprofessional training: Promoting
The need to train health professionals who can work across disciplines is essential for effective, competent, and culturally sensitive health care delivery. By its very nature, the provision of health service requires communication and coordination between practitioners. However, preparation for interdisciplinary practice within the health care setting is rare. The authors argue that the primary reason students are not trained across disciplines is related to the diverse cultural structures that guide and moderate health education environments.
Interprofessional Education: A Theoretical Orientation Incorporating Profession-Centrism and Social Identity Theory
It is clear that in order to improve health for our citizens, our health work force must be team-focused and collaboration-ready at the time of their graduation. Shortages of adequately trained health care workers must be addressed if we are to reduce the global disease burden for HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, infant mortality, childhood preventable disease, among other global health woes.
Is there an interprofessional identity?
The literature is full of references to professional socialization and professional identity, usually around the discourse of professionalism. There is an assumption that one develops a (uni)professional identity.
Putting the Mouth Back in the Head: HEENT to HEENOT
Improving oral health is a leading population health goal; however, curricula preparing health professionals have a dearth of oral health content and clinical experiences. We detail an educational and clinical innovation transitioning the traditional head, ears, eyes, nose, and throat (HEENT) examination to the addition of the teeth, gums, mucosa, tongue, and palate examination (HEENOT) for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of oral-systemic health.
