1)Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practices (IPECP)
The most difficult challenge in today's healthcare is arguably the provision of integrated care. The patient often has to navigate a complex and often times, fragmented institutional environment across an entire spectrum of healthcare organizations to receive the care required. Our understanding in the conditions that make interprofessional and interdisciplinary teams work is crucial in helping us meet this challenge.
The idea is for the different health professions to work with differences and together to achieve better patient care. What is the role of medical education in interprofessional collaboration and education? When do interprofessional teams work? What kinds of organizational environment are more conducive for team-based care? How should interprofessional initiatives be implemented? How can we measure the outcomes of interprofessional initiatives?
Topical areas: collective or team competence, systems-based practice, interprofessional learning, interprofessional communication, attitudes toward IPECP, interprofessional leadership, organizational structures and task characteristics.
2) Work-based Learning
We also recognise the need for healthcare professionals to keep their skills and knowledge on par with the pace and scale of change. While formal, structured training is still important, a large part of learning happens through work and in the workplace, and the impetus to harness learning in authentic work settings is becoming more urgent than ever. Correspondingly, we need to examine how our clinical teachers and faculty members teach and guide learning.
Topical areas: informal and hidden curriculum, transfer of training, experential and service learning, professional identity, learning environment, workplace-based assessment, and communities of practice.
3) Faculty Development
We need to prepare clinical teachers and faculty members to take on expanded roles as educators and faculty developers. Whether it is classroom learning, informal, or work-based learning, we want to create and build a base of knowledge that is empirically grounded so that our educators and faculty developers' pedagogy is informed, and they grow professionally and personally in the best possible manner.
Topical areas: educator identity, educational leadership, faculty competency framework, faculty evaluation, faculty selection, faculty engagement, training and development.