University's Interprofessional Course Brings Students Together to Help Local Communities

Pacific University's College of Health Professions invites the public to join students, faculty and staff at the fourth annual Interprofessional Competence course capstone poster session at 2 p.m. Friday, April 19 in the Tuality Health Education Center in Hillsboro (334 SE 8th Ave.).

The course is required of all first-year health professions students and brings them together from each of the college's nine disciplines: Audiology, Dental Hygiene, Healthcare Administration, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy and Psychology.

Students in the College of Education's Speech-Language Pathology program are also required to take the course, the objective of which is to prepare future health providers to function effectively in the ever-growing interprofessional healthcare community.

"The emerging model for optimum care is one that maximizes communication between all providers of a single patient," said Mark Della Paolera, assistant professor of pharmacy and one of the course coordinators.

"By assembling teams consisting of students from each of the programs we offer, they are able to learn about the different health arenas and how they relate to their chosen career paths."

All teams have worked with an approved community agency or entity as part of their experiential education.

These include:

• Hands Across Greater Portland (includes Potluck in the Park, Operation Nightwatch, Portland Rescue Mission and Habitat for Humanity)
• Family Bridge
• Oregon Food Bank
• Cornell Senior Estates
• Hillsboro Senior Center
• Salvation Army
• Muscular Dystrophy Association
• Transition Projects
• Meals on Wheels
• Sunshine Division
• Night Strike
• Manna Ministry
• 3 o’clock People
• NEFP
• MDA Walk
• Goose Hollow
• Parry Children Center

For more information, please contact Mark Della Paolera at 503-352-7271 or dellapaolera@pacificu.edu.