phuture 13 2006

2 IPSF Phuture Supplement Issue no. 13

The International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation (IPSF) is pleased to present this year's Phuture Supplementaddressing interdisciplinary collaboration. With the advent of the 1st World Medical and Pharmacy Students'Symposium (WorldMaPS), a renewed interest in interdisciplinary collaboration has been unearthed. Interdisciplinarycollaboration comes in many forms, from integrating physicians and pharmacists to building comprehensive health careteams incorporating social work, physiotherapists, dentists and many more. Some universities have realised the impor-tance of developing such collaborative relationships among student practitioners while they are in school. Other stu-dent organisations have taken matters into their own hands constructing relationships to develop interdisciplinary proj-ects. Whether through formal academic programming or through the extra-curricular efforts of students, the collabora-tive efforts improve the communication within the health care network and improve the care we as health care practi-tioners provide to our patients. When the disciplines work together, the profession and the patient benefit.

This issue features authors from a variety of health care disciplines. Recognising the need to work together, we wishfor further collaboration and development of interdisciplinary projects. We hope these ideas stimulate further creativityin collaboration and improvements in patient care.

Thank you for the hard work involved in these interdisciplinary projects and thank you for sharing your experiences withothers that we may all grow stronger ties as health care practitioners.

Ellen DiedrichsenIPSF Chairperson of Pharmacy Education 2005-06

Associate Professor Janie SheridanProfessor John ShawThe School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health SciencesThe University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Mäori - the indigenous peoples of New Zealand - make up around 15% of the New Zealand population. In NewZealand, the rights of Mäori are protected under the Treaty of Waitangi, a founding document signed by the BritishGovernment and Mäori leaders in 1840. The Treaty recognises the rights of Mäori to have their traditional concepts ofhealth recognised and protected. The Treaty incorporates three principles designed to ensure that health services aredelivered in partnership with Mäori, that Mäori are protected through self-determination, and that Mäori are able to par-ticipate in these activities.

Although in principle this should have ensured that Mäori have the same health status as non-Mäori, in fact Mäori inNew Zealand fare significantly worse on many measures of health. For example, Mäori life expectancy is lower, theprevalence of disability is higher, and "avoidable mortality" rates are more than double those of non-Mäori. FurthermoreMäori are less likely to have seen a medical specialist in the previous 12 months, are less likely to have asthma med-ications prescribed and their blood pressure is less likely to be controlled.

Health care professionals in New Zealand have a duty to consider not just these disparities, but ways in which theycan provide culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive, effective interventions to improve the health of Mäori. Healthcare in New Zealand is generally provided in a multidisciplinary manner. For these reasons, it is important that studenthealth professionals learn to work in multiprofessional teams, and are familiar with the cultural issues associated withthe provision of health care to Mäori.

At the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, there has been a commitment to deliver-ing learning modules to mixed professional groups. The first of these innovative modules is Mäori Health Week. Theintroductory booklet for students undertaking this module (2nd year nursing, pharmacy and medical students) states:"Mäori Health requires both an understanding of population and individual health. Mäori Health Week is intended toreinforce and extend the opportunities you have to develop the skills, knowledge and empathy which will help through-out your programme, a difference to improving Mäori health outcomes. The learning experiences are intended to

Message from IPSF

Mäori Health WeekInterprofessional Learning Opportunity at the Auckland School of Pharmacy

3IPSF Phuture Supplement Issue no. 13

provide an opportunity for students from the medical, nursing and pharmacy programmes to learn together in order toreflect on Mäori health, how Mäori health issues are addressed by health services and the role and impact of healthprofessionals in Mäori health".

Important themes of the week are: increased student cultural awareness, the development of culturally safe practition-ers, cultural immersion exposure to Te Reo (Mäori language) and interprofessional team building. The week comprises:- Powhiri (ceremony and welcome) at Waipapa Marae (a traditional Mäori meeting house)- Presentations on the Treaty of Waitangi and Mäori health status- Daily Te Reo (Mäori) language classes- Multidisciplinary small group problem-solving exercise- Poster and oral presentations- Closing ceremony and awards

During the week, students work in multiprofessional teams. They are given a case study which acts as a trigger for stu-dents to discuss and present strategies that address the health issues represented with culturally appropriate practices.The teams then present to a District Health Board team. Each group has a facilitator, who is not necessarily Mäori oran expert on Mäori health, but whose role it is to support the group. Groups also have access to cultural advisors whoare senior Mäori within the university, the local health services and the local community. Their role is to advise studentson cultural issues and to challenge misconceptions students may have about Mäori and Mäori health. At the end of theweek, prizes are given for the most innovative and appropriate interventions.

The areas of health care covered reflect those where significant morbidity or disadvantage is experienced by Mäori:- Meningitis- Mental health- Smoking related lung disease- Diabetes- Cardiovascular- Glue ear

Mäori Health Week has now run for four years. It is considered to be successful by staff and students; this is evidencedby both formal evaluation and informal feedback. The staff who developed the module has won a University of Aucklandteaching Excellence Award.

Mäori Health Week has acted as a model for other interprofessional learning modules within the Faculty. Initiated twoyears ago, third year pharmacy, nursing and medical students now undertake a two day "Quality and Safety" modulewhere they explore issues around medical and medication error. The focus is on a "no blame" approach to dealing witherror, learning about how system failure is generally a root cause rather than attributing blame to any one individual.In order to do this, students learn how to conduct root cause analysis. Other interprofessional learning activities includea joint medicine and pharmacy cost effectiveness project, and new modules are being explored for the future.

Mäori Health Week has been a resounding success, meeting the twin goals of allowing health sciences students toaddress their obligations to improve Mäori health in a culturally appropriate manner, in the context of an interprofes-sional learning environment. We hope that others will be interested in our approach, and welcome any enquiries.

Jon MerchenAdam Orsborn

In September of 1997 the Student Health Alliance Reaching Indigent Needy Groups (SHARING) clinic was developedby a medical student from the University of Nebraska - Medical Center (UNMC) to improve the quality of medical carefor the underserved population in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Multidisciplinary Approach in Caring for the Underserved ata Student-Run Family Medicine Clinic


The SHARING Clinic has since grown to become a necessary resource for many area residents and one of the pre-mier learning sites for hundreds of students within the fields of medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, nursing, med-ical technician, and family therapy. Seventeen students representing the various colleges serve as board members;this board governs the clinics with the guidance of faculty from each of the colleges.

The mission of the SHARING clinic is to provide high-quality, low costhealth care to underprivileged populations in Omaha, Nebraska, USA,while providing a unique educational outlet for students of nearly everydiscipline at UNMC. The clinic is run and staffed by medical, nursepractitioner, physician assistant, pharmacy, physical therapy, clinicallaboratory sciences, family medical therapy, medical nutrition, respira-tory therapy, and bachelor of nursing students with the assistance ofcommunity and faculty health care professionals. This unique clinicalexperience allows patients to receive quality medical care at low or nocost and for students to learn valuable skills by reinforcing classroomknowledge in real-life situations.

Since its creation, the SHARING clinic has utilised the services of over500 volunteers to provide medical care to over 1400 patients per year.The clinics also have more than 30 faculty members who regularly volunteer their time to preceptor, and have 150 vol-unteer translator shifts per year filled. The SHARING Clinic is opened every Tuesday evening. Appointments areencouraged, but walk-ins are accepted.

The SHARING Clinic offers a great opportunity for University of Nebraska - Medical Center students from nearly everydiscipline to practice patient care first hand. It allows students to gain experience working directly with not only patients,but also with their peers and members of the health care professions. Additionally, student members of the health careteam learn to develop the skills they need to become exceptional practitioners through the interactions with patientsand with volunteer physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dieticians, and others, whodonate their time to help students during clinic operations.

The SHARING Clinic is located in southeast Omaha in an indigent area where a fairly large portion of the citizens ofthe community do not have access to health care. The population is also quite dynamic in terms of cultural backgroundsand health care issues, which provides a very well rounded experience for the students. Approximately 30% of thepatients that are seen at the clinic speak only Spanish; therefore, the clinic incorporates bilingual student volunteers toserve as interpreters to aid the other students and volunteers during the primary-care work-up and counselling ses-sions. Many times bilingual students are directly providing care for Spanish speaking patients.

The interaction between the students at the clinic is very unique in the sense that each student learns how they canhelp the students of other disciplines and how each member is a very important part of the team and necessary in pro-viding the patients the highest quality care possible. The general process of clinic operation consists of a medical, nursepractitioner, or physician assistant student volunteer teaming up with a pharmacy student and seeing the patients.During this visit they perform the examinations, obtain medication histories, and address any other concerns regard-ing medical issues and medication regimens. Following examinations, the student health care team presents thepatient's case to a volunteer provider. At that point, a patient care plan is developed between the students and theproviders and medication issues are handled with the help of the student pharmacist volunteers with a volunteer phar-macist providing guidance.

Patients obtain prescriptions in several ways. The clinic has a sample stock with a limited selection of medications;these samples are dispensed to the patients while they are at clinic. The student pharmacists assist patients in obtain-ing medications through medication assistance programmes. Lastly, patients can take written prescriptions to HopeOutreach Pharmacy, which is near the clinic; the cost of these prescriptions is billed the clinic.

The SHARING Clinic is an excellent chance for students of each discipline to learn more about patient care from eachother and from guidance of experienced, licensed practitioners; equally important is the chance for this patient popu-lation to receive extraordinary care. By having nearly every member of each health profession represented at the


clinic, patients get great overall care as well as having specific health issues addressed by experts in those areas. Thedifferences in patient ethnic and social backgrounds truly makes the SHARING Clinic a diverse population allowing stu-dents to learn a great deal about delivering health care to specialised populations by exemplifying the multi-disciplinaryapproach.

Interdisciplinary work becomes more and more important - We as students can make things happen!

Elisabeth Russe, MDTeddybear Hospital Project Coordinator Austria 2001-2006IFMSA Alumni Relations Director 2005-2006International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)[email protected]

The Teddybear Hospital is a project run by medical students within the Standing Committee on Public Health of theInternational Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA) and within the European Medical StudentsAssociation (EMSA) in cooperation with pharmaceutical students all around the world. It started as a nursery projectand was adopted by medical students in the 90s. Publications show that the project continues to offer a feasible, effec-tive opportunity to reach the community's children and their health information needs1 and that it significantly decreas-es the white-coat fear in children aged 3-62.

Idea and GoalThe Teddybear Hospital targets children in the pre-school age (three to seven years old) with the goal of using a play-ful manner to reduce the fear of children towards a doctor's visit or hospitalisation. This allows children exposure towhat it means to be in the hospital or visit the doctor without having to be patients themselves. By visiting the TeddybearHospital, children can bring their stuffed animals and dolls along in order to get them treated by teddybear doctors(medical students) as well as teddybear pharmacists (pharmacy students). The students are specially trained by pae-diatricians, so at the same time it provides an opportunity for medical and pharmaceutical students to learn more aboutpaediatrics while providing them the opportunity to work with children.

The main focus of the Teddybear Hospital Project is to create an atmosphere of trust where children can deal with thetopics: hospital and disease. Impressions and beliefs that children often acquire through family and the media shouldbe seized, conceived and, if necessary, be corrected through playing. This role-playing also provides medical insightto children, children can understand that illness and the fight against it is part of everyday-life and does not necessar-ily have to be a threatening or frightening experience.

Medical ExaminationThis aim is accomplished through the realistic structure of the Teddybear Hospital environment. After being received inreception area and moved to a waiting area, the child and patient are called by a teddy doctor to proceed with exami-nation, diagnostics and treatment. The teddy doctor (medical student) takes the patient's (teddy's) history by askingquestions of the parent of the patient, who is played by the child. Afterwards, depending on the teddy's problem, theteddy undergoes different examinations and treatments. Certainly the object is to treat the teddy, not the child. This isnot the aim of the project and can and may not be done by medical students.

Pharmacist DispensingAfter the examination and treatment, the teddy doctor writes a prescription and the children can get some "medicine"in the Teddybear Hospital Pharmacy. Here, children are also made aware of the seriousness of drugs, for example,they are told that it is important to continue taking some medications even though the symptoms may have alreadyresolved.

References1. Zimmermann PG et al., J Emerg Nurs. 1997 Feb;23:41-4 2. Toker A et al., Med Teach. 2002 Nov;24:634-6

Teddybear Hospital Project


Anja LampretStudents' Section of Slovene Pharmaceutical Society (SSSFD)Slovenia

Started in 1998, "Healthcare team" is a project where students of medicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, social work, nurs-ing and working therapy cooperate to provide health care to specific patient populations. The students learn not onlyabout the specific disease state but also the value of forming a health care team to provide patient care.

The project is divided into to sections: lectures andcases. The lectures provide the students with the the-ory of treating the specific disease state. We invite lec-turers from different health professions to ensure thatthe students are well informed about the disease andthat they have appropriate knowledge regarding how to work with patients. Students are also able to get to know otherprofessions, which is very important for understanding what kind of a role each profession has in health system. Onestudent Viktorija commented, "The theme, was interesting and it was presented well through the lectures. I liked thatmany different lecturers came from different professions and that they represented the theme from different point ofview."

The second section, the cases, is made of workshops which are divided into two parts, or better, two days. The firstday is designed to allow the different students to get to know hot to work with each other by role-playing with theoret-ical patient cases. On the second day, teams go to the hospital to see patients, applying information from the lectures,as well as working together as an interdisciplinary team. Another student Irena commented, "The Health care team wasvery positive experience for me. The concept itself has good composition: at first lectures where you get appropriateknowledge, which you use on practical workshops. And what is really special about Healthcare team is getting in touchwith patients and interdisciplinary treatment for his/her illness."

The topics covered through the "Healthcare team" project are as diverse as the disciplines involved. The first projectheld in 1998 focused on Nephrology. The project was held again in 2000 and then annually since 2002. The themesranged from Parkinson's disease to respiratory tract infections to cerebrovascular incidents.

This project gives health care students additional experience in different areas of health knowledge and it shows howto work in team on an interdisciplinary level. It follows modern directions of clinical practice with intention to unite healthcare professions, so that they would be able to cooperate in solving real clinical cases. Its intention is also to show howto work in hospitals and how to ensure better communication between different professions. Nina stated, "I alwaysthought that Healthcare team is a great thing and I can only confirm that because I participated last year. It seems tome very important that we, workers in health care, have an opportunity to see that every profession is indispensablefor patient [care] and also, at the same time, we learn to take our responsibility for successful treatment."

All things mentioned are very important for the future of health systems and cooperation of different professions candefinitely make a better future.

As (the Cascadian) proverb says: "A man with strong hands can break one,a man with great knowledge breaks thousands."

And imagine - it is more of us in a health care team.

Healthcare Team Building


Michael GarreauPresidentCanadian Nursing Students' Association (CNSA)

Nursing and interprofessional collaboration seem to be nothing more than an essential component to the every daypractice of nurses. Due to the increased acuity of health care, today's health care professionals, including nursing, mustintuitively understand the entire spectrum of health care and the role that each profession plays in this care pathway.However the reality is that nursing, as a profession, can tend to be seen as insular as opposed to inclusiveness. Forthis reason, nursing and all health care professionals have decided to focus on improving the manner in which we workas a team of health care professionals as opposed to ships passing in the night.

In Canada, the Canadian Nursing Students' Association (CNSA) has been working with various national health profes-sional student associations in order to achieve a mutually beneficial working dynamic and establish a dedicated com-munication link. With funding supplied by the Office of Nursing Policy, Health Canada, the CNSA has undertaken ini-tiatives to support Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient Centered Practice (IECPCP). This model focus-es on both the workplace setting and the formative educational setting where the socialisation takes place that eitherreinforces or discourages true collaborative practice. IECPCP is a model, which seeks to recognise the interplaybetween educational settings and the practice settings. It will form the context and culture within which they will workto provide quality health care.

The visionary leadership of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), the InternationalPharmaceutical Students' Federation (IPSF), the European Pharmaceutical Students' Association (EPSA) and theEuropean Medical Students' Association (EMSA) to initiate the first international interprofessional conference hasallowed a renewed focus required to see a strong emphasis placed on interprofessional education and practice.Nursing in the international arena is energised to work with our international colleagues and see that all levels, from alocal to international, work to improve collaborative practice both inter and intra professionally in the interest of improv-ing patient outcomes.

Recently the international nursing student community has undertaken the initiative to facilitate the creation of the firstinternational nursing student association whose strategic priorities include assisting with collaborative patient centredpractice in the international arena. In working with various national nursing student associations, the Canadian NursingStudents' Association has been able to develop an international network of nursing student colleagues interested inimproving interprofessional education and the responsibility that nursing has for global health equity. In today's globalcommunity, nursing needs to act locally and think globally for the improved health of all those to whom we provide care.The international nursing student community believes that it is essential that nurses collectively work to strengthen thecapacity of all health care professions so that nurses can effectively participate as members of interdisciplinary teams.

However the focus on interprofessional capacity development must ensure that each profession is able to understandthe internal dynamics, which exist as well. On the national scene, the CNSA National Assembly passed a resolution toopen membership in the association to all Canadian nursing students (registered nursing, registered psychiatric nurs-ing and licensed practical nursing). This focus on working to understand the complex family of nursing which exists inCanada will help to improve intraprofessional synergy. The efforts to improve staffing service mix will require that nurs-ing is able to appreciate and work in unison within its own community. In keeping with the focus to strengthen our pub-licly funded, not for profit health care system, the CNSA can now work with the national network of health care profes-sionals via the New Health Professionals Network (NHPN) and ensure that the family of nursing is able to effectivelycollaborate.

These initiatives will each work to see that patient outcomes are dramatically improved and ensure that the while localsuccesses are celebrated, international knowledge transfer will exist amongst the vast network of the various healthprofessions. Ultimately, no matter what current model of health care is utilised, health professions must ensure that thesilos, which have existed, will no longer pose barriers to improving public health and remove global health inequalities.

Nursing Develops Awareness for Interprofessional Teams


Kevin HuangTaipei Medical UniversityChina Medical UniversityPharmaceutical Students' Association - Taiwan, China

In Taiwan, many activities exist for village service project around the university, Taipei Medical University. We, the col-lege students, spend our winter and summer vacations in these service projects. The activities can be divided into twogroups: school, emphasising individual specialties and club, which recruits members from the different schools. Theclubs have medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and nursing students, as well as some other schools included in the med-ical college, to provide the greatest interdisciplinary collaboration.

The clubs coordinate village service projects. Each club has a different target, such as undeveloped, aboriginal orisland villages. The club is coordinated by a chairperson who is elected from the club members. Each year a differenthealth discipline may be leading the project. Students chose one location for at least three years, so he/she can com-pare the differences before and after the services are provided to the village, either providing medical care or beinginvolved in health camps. Individual involvement in the project is initiated through self motivation.

Medical Care for CharityFree medical care is provided to villagers by an interdisciplinary team. The care team is led by doctors, dentists, phar-macists and nurses. Students assist the health care providers, working side-by-side with providers in their discipline.We set up the station at a place where the most people passing by. The team provides physical examinations, basicdiagnosis and patient counselling. A physical examination is taken on villagers to let them know their health conditions.The initial examination includes height, weight, eyesight, blood pressure, blood sugar and much more. After examina-tion, the doctor gives medical advice, and conducts further examination, such as auscultation, and visualisation of theears, nose, and throat. The dentist gives recommendations regarding decayed teeth and teaches villagers how to main-tain their teeth in good condition. The pharmacists provide medication counselling and provide information on appro-priate use of medications.

Public Health CampA public health camp for the kids of the village is held over two days to help build healthy habits. Morning exercise startseach day. We teach them to have good habits of personal health and also right ways of brushing teeth and taking med-icine. We not only provide them with suitable knowledge but also use active ways to tell them teach them and let themlearn by experiencing. Teaching the children will not only provide them with information stay healthy but also spreadthe information around good health habits to others within the village via these kids. Besides the educational phase ofthe camp, we play games with the kids. We played some funny dramas which are connected with the public health.Most importantly, through specially designed games the children see we are dedicated to improving their health andgain their trust and appreciation.

Door-to-Door VisitingThe service project also allows for research opportunities. We did questionnaires about the habits and customs of thevillagers during the camps regarding their hygienic knowledge and regional disease. We also collected informationregarding their use of alternative therapy and crude drugs. We discussed the statistics with the professors and ourworking partners from different fields. The results focus our educational efforts for the coming projects as well as allow-ing us to identify improvements in health knowledge due to our previous service projects.

The common goal is to enrich our vacations. We learn how to communicate with patients and establish awareness onhealth hygiene. We improved our communication skills, communicating not only the villagers but also the partners ofthe different health care fields. It is a mock environment of our future works. We know more about other views basedon the different health care professions. When facing the same problems we solve them by mixing each professional'sskill. By establishing collaboration while in school, it allows for improved interactions and respect between the profes-sions in the future. I believe that the gaps between the different fields might be easy to reduce as students begin tobuild professional bonds together.

Medical Service Team


Francesca ButtigiegMalta Pharmaceutical Student Association (MPSA)Vice-President, WorldMaPS 2005 Organising Committee

Being hosts of the first World Medical and Pharmaceutical Students' Symposium (WorldMaPS) Maltese medical andpharmacy students have been working together for better collaboration between the two professions, not only for thesake of having a great symposium but because a need for such collaboration exists. Medical and pharmacy studentshave finally realised the importance of collaboration between professions not just for the sake of having a better work-ing environment but, above all, for the benefit of better patient care.

In Malta, medicine and pharmacy students are part of the same faculty, giving more reason and opportunity to practicecollaboration between the professions. The Malta Medical Student Association (MMSA) and the Malta PharmaceuticalStudent Association (MPSA) have been organising events in which students review ways in which collaboration can beimproved. The first step into doing this is to break each others' boundaries and getting to know what each professionreally involves. Misconceptions have been dissolved by several workshops in which students have put forward theirviews, which were then "corrected" by students of the other party. This was followed by teaming up students from dif-ferent professions and discussion how collaboration between students can be improved.

The following ideas have been obtained and are currently being discussed between the associations and the depart-ments involved. - Joint ward rounds- Joint pharmacology tutorials- Joint seminars- Team based health care competitions- Assignments can be done in a way so as to include both a prescriber's opinion and that of a clinical pharma-

cist

Ideas also included teaming up for joint events example:- Football tournaments- Joint social events such as parties - Treasure hunts with groups being made up from mixed professions

However, we strongly believe that collaboration in health care should be extended to other professions including den-tistry, nursing and physiotherapy. Practice including such professions should also be considered.

As a last note, one must add that the professions are still distinct areas of the health care scenario and one shouldnever cross the other's pathway when it comes to decision making. As a famous person once said "to each his own".

Medical and Pharmacy Students' Collaboration in Malta


The 1st World Medical and Pharmacy Students' Symposium (WorldMaPS) was held in November 2005 in Malta. A mul-tidisciplinary group of students attended this inaugural event. We caught up with Tana Wujili, one of the committee ofpeople instrumental in organising the conference. She had these remarks to our questions about the event.

1. How did participants' perceptions of other health care professions change during the congress?

I think that the perceptions and attitudes of participants changed over the course of the week. After skimming throughthe responses to the evaluation survey at the end of the week, many participants stated that their attitudes towardsother health care students had changed. Most participants better understood the need for a health care team andpatient centred approach to health care. The statement that was launched at the end of the event really showed a unit-ed voice and commitment to these principles and called for greater interdisciplinary collaboration at a student level.How do we know the event left an impression? Seeing participants mingling from all over the world and different back-ground and having a great deal of fun.

2. Did the participants have the opportunity to understand the contributions of other health care providers to providing patient care?

The programme was designed to make it as interactive as possible so that participants could come to their own con-clusions and debate these important issues with others. I think that this definitely helped participants to see each oth-ers' point of view. Participants were put into small focus groups to discuss topics ranging from disease prevention, clin-ical case management to education.

3. What disciplines were represented?

Most participants were either pharmacy or medical students and a few nursing students participated. We hope thatmany more nursing students and students from other backgrounds take part in the next WorldMaPS.

4. How will this impact interaction of the organisations?

The WorldMaPS event will continue under a new name, the World Healthcare Students Symposium (WorldHSS), andwill take place every two years. This provides an excellent focus point for collaboration between the partner organisa-tions. It also helps to develop relationships and learn from each other, especially with nursing students and other healthstudent associations.

5. Were participants provided with opportunities for collaborative health care projects? What kind of projects?

Workshops aimed to produce action. The public health workshop gave skills training to participants and assisted themto develop their own multidisciplinary health campaigns such as the Teddy Bear Hospital, tuberculosis (TB), HealthyLiving and Diabetes, and anti-tobacco campaigns. It also helped further international collaboration, especially betweenIPSF and IFMSA - for example the extending of the Moving On II project, a research study examining the perceptionsof students towards their education, to medical students. It will be great to see presentations of these collaborative proj-ects at the future WorldHSS.

WorldMaPS was an incredible experience and I feel very lucky and proud to have been part of it. Students can makea difference and together we can do so much! All the best to Portugal as the hosts of the 2007 WorldHSS and the newJoint Working Group! To those who were not able to make it to Malta, I strongly recommend you to go to the next event.You will not experience any other event like it!

Following up on the 1st World Medical and Pharmacy Students' Symposium


Summary

The participants of the above symposium agreed on several principles:1. Health care should be patient centred and multidisciplinary.2. Health care professionals must have appropriate knowledge, good communication skills, be team players and

have an empathic approach.3. Health care education must be practical, multidisciplinary and state of the art.

The Symposium

The first joint symposium of world health care students was organised by IFMSA (International Federation of MedicalStudents' Associations), IPSF (International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation), EPSA (European PharmaceuticalStudents' Association) and EMSA (European Medical Students' Association), and took place in Malta from the 7th to12th November 2005. The symposium brought together 230 medical, pharmacy and nursing students from 42 coun-tries in an international forum. The conference was intended to generate understanding and discussion between theprofessions, develop skills and awareness of concepts in multidisciplinary settings, and to create student advocates fora cooperative multidisciplinary approach to patient centred care to optimise health outcomes.

Explanation

Patient CareThe participants of the symposium agreed that good patient care takes into consideration the individual needs of thepatient. There needs to be effective communication within the health care professions and with the patients themselves.This conference considers the STEEP principles described by the Institute of Medicine in "Crossing the Quality Chasm:A New Health System for the 21st Century" as an appropriate model for the delivery of excellent patient care. TheSTEEP principles are Safe, Timely, Efficient, Effective, Equitable, and Patient-centred.

Health Care ProfessionalsHealth care professionals knowledge should at all times be relevant, current and evidence based. Health care profes-sionals need good communication skills in order to be a team player in a multidisciplinary environment. A priority for allhealth care professionals is to be patient focused which requires an interactive and empathic approach.

EducationHealth care education should be practical with maximum exposure to clinical settings from the beginning of the curric-ula. It should be interactive with a variety of teaching methods including problem based learning. Health care educa-tion should mirror the multidisciplinary working of health care teams which includes learning together in order to gainan understanding of other professions. Health care education should be state of the art. It should include the latest evi-dence-based practice and be delivered according to the latest developments in education.

In order to achieve all the above, a motivational learning environment must be created where members of the healthcare team are working together as equals from the very beginning of their careers.

References: http://www.iom.edu/file.asp?id=27184 Institute of Medicine: "Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New HealthSystem for the 21st Century"

1st World Medical and Pharmacy Students' SymposiumMalta, 7th - 12th November 2005

Statement of Beliefs

phuture 13 2006

Documents