Bronson, WMU and WMed Host Interactive, Interdisciplinary Training Workshop for Students

A unique collaboration between professional staff at Bronson, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine (WMed) and Western Michigan University (WMU) allows students pursuing healthcare careers to work as a team across multiple disciplines.

The interdisciplinary event (IPE) is structured to simulate the Bronson multidisciplinary ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) clinic to help students recognize common complications of ALS and, working as a team, develop a treatment plan based on the patient’s needs.

“By promoting teamwork, these workshops help students realize the roles that other disciplines play in overall patient care,” says Dr. Michelle Crooks, neurologist at Bronson Neuroscience Center and neuro clerkship director for WMed. “This workshop-based style of learning is becoming more common and is encouraged by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Liaison Committee of Medical Education (LCME) organizations, as interprofessional events are a component of accreditation for medical schools.”

With the help of actors that portrayed a patient and their accompanying caretaker, students were asked to review the patient’s medical history and perform an exam. They were then divided into groups using the knowledge from each discipline to develop a complete plan of care. The following disciplines were demonstrated at the event:

• Medicine
• Physical Therapy
• Speech and Language Pathology
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Respiratory Therapy

Two IPE workshops have taken place this year with more to come. The most recent workshop took place this month; more than 30 students participated. “The combined team from Bronson, WMU and WMed is excited to see the impact these workshops will have on our emerging healthcare professionals,” says Dr. Crooks.