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PharmD

IPE Curriculum

Students in the UW School of Pharmacy are among few who are educated side by side and train in the same building as students in medicine, nursing, dentistry, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and public health practitioners.

IPE is embedded in throughout our curriculum in a series of required skills activities and experiential coursework that spans all quarters of our program. Our students interact with medical students in all classroom activities in this series. They also interact with students from the nursing, dentistry, public health, social work, physician assistant, dietetics, health administration, and physical therapy programs.  In experiential education, our students interact with other health professionals in practice during Wednesdays in Practice (WIP), an introductory practice experience series in years one and two, and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) in years three and four. In addition to the required IPE activities, we have many opportunities for students to gain exposure to students in other health professions through community engagement activities.

PY1

The Pharmacist Provider Readiness Series (PHRMPR 511-513) includes a consistent curricular theme (Collaborative Team Member, CTM) in which activities to support development of interprofessional teamwork skills are required. Students are also exposed to other health professionals in early and introductory practice experiences.

IPE Activities in PY1

  • Active observation of another healthcare team member interacting with a patient
  • Discuss and demonstrated the patient hand-off process to another health professional
  • Students attend a TeamSTEPPS workshop where they learn introductory communication and teamwork skills to optimize patient outcomes.
  • Attend multidisciplinary committee meetings and/or patient care rounds

Students may also choose opportunities for community engagement that involve students from other health professions.

PY2

In the second year, students participate in the IPE Core Curriculum, which is coordinated by the UW Center for Health Sciences Interprofessional Education (CHSIE), Research, and Practice with representatives from all six health science schools. This 3-part curriculum focuses on small group interaction and engagement with skilled IPE facilitators.

The CTM curricular theme continues in the Pharmacist Provider Readiness Series (PHRMPR 514-516) to include the following:

IPE Activities in PY2

  • Practice written communication to team members through writing SOAP notes
  • Give patient case and problem-based patient presentations to standardized team member
  • Motivational interviewing workshop
  • Communicate with another team member regarding a patient to provide coordinated care (e.g. dose change, SBAR, clinical consult)
  • Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare team member(s) to develop a plan for medication therapy problems for multiple different patients

PY3

In their third year, our students participate in high-fidelity simulations with medicine and nursing students.

Across these learning experiences our students meet with faculty and other mentors to be coached in team performance and discuss general professional development.

PY4

In their fourth year, our students complete at least two (of nine) Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) that include team collaboration as a required competency:

  • Acute Care General Medicine (PHRMPR 563)
  • Ambulatory Care Clinic Pharmacy (PHRMPR 562)

They also are required to obtain one peer-evaluation of their performance from one colleague outside of pharmacy.

Additional Information

Students have many other opportunities to get involved with other health professions through multiple certificate programs and electives. The Student Portal includes further details about these opportunities.