History

In 2014, a taskforce was put together to explore potential interprofessional opportunities on Marquette's campus. In the 2015-2016 academic year, Marilyn Frenn (College of Nursing) and MaryJo Wiemiller (College of Health Sciences) received the Way Klingler Teaching Enhancement Award to develop IPE on campus. This award, along with the dedication from these two motivated faculty members, led to the integration of several interprofessional learning experiences for students at Marquette University (MU) and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). In early 2017, a shared IPE Coordinator position between MU and MCW was brought to the Center for Teaching and Learning to assist with the future development, implementation, and sustainability of interprofessional initiatives.

After surveying successful programs across the country and attending international conferences to discover best practice, Marquette decided that the creation of a curricular approach to IPE was essential in preparing students for their future careers in healthcare and meeting accreditation standard requirements. In Fall 2017, the first large collaborative workshop was offered for a total 99 students from five academic programs. This cohort of students learned about an evidence-based set of teamwork tools known as TeamSTEPPS. While many lessons were learned through the delivery of the workshop, it was clear we had found a model for interprofessional training at Marquette. 

With the help of many dedicated faculty and the IPECPC, Marquette developed a series of four workshops based on four competency domains delineated by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative. This model provides interprofessional education to approximately 1,500 participants from multiple academic programs at Marquette each semester on a dedicated "IPE Day." Students meet in small interprofessional groups and engage in activities and discussions designed to enhance collaboration and communication skills. The goal of the workshop series is for students to build meaningful connections with their future healthcare colleagues and carry this practice of collaboration into their professional careers.