Communication and collaboration between health care professionals is essential for optimal patient care. However, many health care professionals do not fully understand the capabilities of and services provided by their colleagues. The schools in the Division of Health Affairs at UNC are informally implementing an interdisciplinary practice opportunity to introduce students to the roles and capabilities of other professionals and to help students improve their abilities to participate effectively in health care teams. This opportunity allows students on community clerkships to spend time with students from other disciplines who are learning in the same AHEC region. We hope that this learning experience for students will accomplish these objectives:
§Learn other perspectives regarding unique and shared health care roles in the community
§Explore ways to collaborate to meet the total health care needs of mutual patients
§Evaluate preconceived stereotypes/assumptions of other professions
We encourage you to spend time in the corresponding practices that interest you and discuss with other health science students ways to work together in caring for mutual patients. Use this booklet as a guide to understanding learning requirements and experiential components of the other disciplines.