Interprofessional Education (IPE) Activity amongst Health Sciences Students at Sultan Qaboos University : The time is now!

Abstract

Historically, health professionals have been educated in profession-specific institutions which provide limited opportunities for learning interprofessional (IP) skills. Many qualified practitioners are therefore poorly prepared for the challenges of IP practice (IPP). Patients today have complex needs and typically require more than one professional to address their medical issues and effective IP care relies upon health care professionals’ abilities to communicate with one another. Competent communication improves the quality of care, thus enhancing patient outcomes. The objective of IP education (IPE) is to prepare students to deliver IP care in the future. Sultan Qaboos University’s medical and nursing colleges train the future health workforce for Oman. However, students have no opportunities for collaborative learning. It is imperative that opportunities be created where students learn with, about, and from each other with the aim of improving the quality of care they are likely to deliver in the future.