Interprofessional Education

Since the inception of Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in 2005, there has been an active effort to involve coordinators, preceptors, and students in interprofessional learning (IPL) through a variety of training methods. The Interprofessional Education (IPE) Program provides a variety of services that allow for both academic and clinical engagement by learners, faculty and staff. These experiences introduce the competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, and values) necessary to function as a competent member of a quality health-care team.

NOSM’s learners participate in interprofessional experiences at the School’s two main campuses – Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, and Laurentian University Sudbury – and in 41 other communities across Northern Ontario in the following programs: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, audiology, dietetics, medicine, and physician assistant. Many clinical facilities also host learners in nursing, radiation therapy, respiratory therapy, social work, and many other health disciplines. Many clinical facilities also host learners in nursing, radiation technology, respiratory therapy, social work, and many other health disciplines. At NOSM, clinical placements are the vehicles that bring non-medical learners to the North for an exceptional learning experience.

Please follow this link to access Interprofessional Education (IPE) Resource Guide.

Interprofessional care aims to change the way the health-care system works by ensuring that health caregivers work collaboratively to place patients and families at the centre of the health-care system. 
HealthForceOntario, 2006

Host Universities

• McMaster University 
• University of Toronto
• University of Western Ontario
• Queen’s University
• University of Ottawa
• University of Waterloo
• Laurentian University, LIHC
• Lakehead University, LIPPS, Compass North

Advancement of Interprofessional Education

Accreditation of Interprofessional Health Education (AIPHE)The partnership of Canadian organizations that accredit pre-licensure education for six health professions in Canada, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, social work, nursing and medicine.

Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)
The national voice of Canada’s 17 faculties of medicine

Canadian Association of Continuing Health Education
CACHE draws together a spectrum of educators, administrators, and representatives from health care, academia and industry, all of whom contribute to the fabric of Canadian CHE.

Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative
A National Interprofessional Competency Framework

Health Force Ontario
Making Ontario the Employer of Choice in Health Care

Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC)
This Ontario agency provides policy advice to the Minister of Health and Long Term Care 

Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC)
The national collaborative disseminates research, tools and strategies for educators and practitioners interested in the advancement of interprofessional learning and practice.

IPE Program provides the following services

• Interprofessional leadership training (i.e. FLIC Training)
• Interprofessional education series targeting IPE competencies
• Student, preceptor, and clinical site interprofessional collaborative engagement
• Orientation to learners on clinical placement
• IPE tutor and facilitator services

The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative National Competency Framework (2010) provides the foundation for our interprofessional learning opportunities. IP sessions are designed to meet the level of the learner (i.e. exposure level, immersion level, mastery level), and address some or all of the following competencies:

• Communication
• Role clarification
• Patient/client/family/community-centred care
• Team functioning
• Interprofessional conflict

For general inquires, please email iplearning@nosm.ca.