Interprofessional team places 2nd
nationally
by Cindy
AbolePublic Relations
An interprofessional team of students representing three of MUSC’s six colleges won second place in a national competition designed to promote safe practices among health care issues and the value of interprofessional practices in medicine.
National Clarion
winners are: Aaron Embry, from left,Karen Hembree Spry, Manasi Sinhua
and Robbie Hendry. Team faculty advisor is Dr. Maralynne D. Mitcham.MUSC’s debut in the 2007 National Clinician Administrator Relationship Improvement Organization or Clarion Interprofessional Case Competition, took place April 13-14 at the McNamara Alumni Center, University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
MUSC’s four-member team received medals during the April 14 awards dinner. Members are: Aaron Embry, College of Health Professions-Physical Therapy; Robbie Hendry, College of Medicine; Karen Hembree Spry, College of Pharmacy; and Manasi Sinhua, College of Medicine.
The team’s faculty advisor was Maralynne D. Mitcham, Ph.D., professor and director of Occupational Therapy Education Program, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health Professions.
“This was an extraordinary experience for each of us individually and as a team,” said Sinha, a third-year College of Medicine student. “What we learned and experienced is part of a growing culture in health care that focuses on interdisciplinary team approach to patient care. Our team’s success is part of a strong beginning to what’s already being taught and experienced throughout our institution.”
The students were selected to compete nationally after winning first place in MUSC’s first-ever Clarion local case competition held Nov. 16. Instituted as a student-driven program on campus, MUSC’s local Clarion competition featured the support of more than 50 students and faculty members. The team beat out a field of interprofessional teams to gain berth at competing in the national competition.
The competition is sponsored by CLARION, a student organization at the University of Minnesota dedicated to improving health care through interprofessional collaboration.
But the road to the national Clarion victory was not easy. The students struggled to meet deadlines and timing issues after receiving information on the case competition. The team had three weeks to work and submit a preliminary presentation to organizers. In addition, some team members were completing out-of-town clinical rotations.
Despite the challenges, the team worked hard to meet them head-on. With the guidance of MUSC Interprofessional Planning Committee member and pharmacy student Brie Dunn, plus others, students were able to effectively communicate using e-mail, conference calling and other technologies to conduct their work. On weekends, students practiced and rehearsed with each other and sought guidance and advice from Mitcham as they finalized their presentation.
“It took an extraordinary effort to put together a national presentation in the short amount of time we had to meet the deadline,” said Embry, a graduating physical therapy student. “Resource utilization differences didn’t end at technology. In both the local and national cases, we contacted local and national experts when we needed information. For the national competition, we sought help from some of MUSC’s great minds as we represented our institution on the national stage.”
As a result, the team delivered a confident, polished and sophisticated 20-minute presentation that included a root cause analysis and recommendations based on a fictional patient care event. The activity is meant to broaden a student’s insight and perspectives to America’s health care system and practices.
“The Clarion competition was such an energizing project to be involved with,” said Mitcham. “I’ve been fortunate in the past to have been engaged in interprofessional education through the courses I’ve taught, grant preparation and other experiences. Occupational therapy students and others within the health professions are already socialized into working in health care teams. The experience provides an opportunity to understand planning within real world situations. This is an experience every faculty member can benefit from.”
MUSC was among six other teams in the competition. Winners included the Virginia Commonwealth University, first place; and Mayo Clinic Medical School, third place. Other participating schools included the University of Missouri, University of Tennessee, Dartmouth University, and the University of Minnesota.
“We’re proud of our students and faculty who participated in this experience,” said Valerie West, Ed.D., associate provost for educational programs, who also attended the April competition. “It was an extraordinary experience for our team that competed nationally as well as those students and faculty who participated in the local competition. All of them share in the success of this accomplishment.”
For now, the interprofessional leaders will glean ideas gained from the students’ involvement in the national competition. The experience also contributes to the Creating Collaborative Care initiative and the institution’s Quality Enhancement Plan in its quest for national re-accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
“This was simultaneously a humbling and empowering experience,” Embry said. “I walked away with a sense that all professions are only a small part of a team, and no one professional can solve every problem alone.”
Friday, May 4, 2007
Catalyst Online is published weekly,
updated
as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public
Relations
for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of
South
Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at
792-4107
or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to
Catalyst
Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to
catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island
Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.