Preparing students to improve patient outcomes and reduce medical error.

Our commitment to improving patient outcomes and reducing medical error through interprofessional teaching, learning, and clinical care, has made us a national leader in this approach. Physicians trained in core interprofessional practice skills become leaders who are able to effectively communicate and collaborate knowing when to initiate assistance from other care providers, which is a key component as patient needs and healthcare systems become increasingly complex.

Students at Chicago Medical School (CMS) are educated in teamwork, collaboration and communication to support them in becoming exceptional healthcare providers. Students take core interprofessional-focused courses during their first and second years that include interprofessional competencies and objectives including IPEC competencies; interprofessional activities, such as interprofessional service learning projects; and assessments of these activities. The courses include students in other Rosalind Franklin University (RFU) programs allowing CMS students to learn about, from and with other healthcare professional students and development team-based learning and problem-solving skills.

Interprofessional learning is put into practice in RFU’s network of simulation labs and in the clinical portion of students’ education. Team-based clinical practice opportunities are also available through the Interprofessional Community Clinic, started by four CMS students in 2013.

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