When he isnât helping patients at his dermatology clinic, George Christodoulou, MDCM, Faculty Lecturer at the Department of Medicine, volunteers his time by facilitating interprofessional education courses at the Office of Interprofessional Education (OIPE), for the next generation of healthcare professionals.ĚýĚý
Dr. Christodoulou was a learner himself when he started out as a facilitator within the OIPEâs Interprofessional Education (IPE) curriculum. He signed up during his dermatology residency in 2017 and has been involved ever since.ĚýĚý
âItâs a nice activity that makes you feel like youâre giving back and adds a bit of variety into what youâre doing,â he says.ĚýĚý
Led by the OIPE, the four-course IPE curriculum brings learners in medicine, nursing, genetic counselling, dentistry, dietetics, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology together in an active learning experience. Their activities include online group work and discussions enabling shared decision-making, individual reading and assignments, and a simulated patient- or family-centred care scenario.ĚýĚý
The OIPE relies on more than 500 academic and clinical faculty members, as well as health professionals at 91ÉçÇřâs affiliated healthcare institutions, to facilitate the courses.ĚýĚý
A flexible, accredited way of giving backĚý
Dr. Christodoulou appreciates the support he receives from the OIPE as a facilitator â from the flexibility that accommodates his clinical schedule to the refresher Faculty Development training offered to all facilitators each year.ĚýĚý
Dianne Bateman, PhD, the OIPEâs Director of Faculty Development for Interprofessional Education, says this training âreacquaints [facilitators] with the literature on conflict resolution and, in particular, on the conflict resolution strategies often needed on interprofessional care teamsâ.ĚýĚý
This training, alongside facilitating courses, also helps them advance their own professional development while contributing to the education of future healthcare professionals, she adds.ĚýĚýĚý
Another key attraction is that volunteers can now earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits for facilitating IPEA 503: Managing Interprofessional Conflict. In addition, taking the OIPEâs Faculty Development training each year allows facilitators to earn professional development credits.Ěý
âThatâs definitely something thatâs helpful for anyone involved,â says Dr. Christodoulou. âThe training also makes your life a lot easier in preparation the course itself and ensures you have it fresh in your mind. It answers a lot of questions that you may have and gives them context as well.âĚý
Each year, seasoned facilitators return to teach the interprofessional curriculum, while others get involved for the first time. New facilitators are usually paired with someone who has taught courses in the curriculum previously.ĚýĚý
Cynthia Perlman, M.Ed., OT(C), erg., Director of the OIPE and Assistant Professor at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, says this way of pairing facilitators âmodels interprofessional collaboration for our studentsâ.Ěý
âPaired facilitators share personal experiences and lessons learned from their own clinical practices during the debriefing process, thereby highlighting the implementation of IPE competencies.â
An introduction to problem-solving in the clinical environmentĚý
Dr. Christodoulou facilitates IPEA 502: Patient-Centred Care in Action (a simulation activity) and IPEA 503: Managing Interprofessional Conflict (a blended learning activity).ĚýĚý
In IPEA 502, he and other facilitators guide learners as they participate in a simulation of a situational conflict in the context of a clinical case that involves members of multiple health professions.ĚýĚýĚý
âYouâre meeting different family members, youâre trying to provide conflict resolution and that helps empathize with everyoneâs situation,â Dr. Christodoulou explains. âYou realize that a clinical case is not just related to the patient, although they are the primary focus. Itâs nice to be exposed to the importance of that and finding ways to manage these situations collaboratively.âĚý
In IPEA 503, learners gain the skills to resolve conflict or disagreement collaboratively and intentionally in interprofessional teams through individual assignments, online activities and small group discussions.ĚýĚý
âThere is no single medical specialty or setting that doesnât have some form of conflict,â Dr. Christodoulou says. âIt helps reframe and reteach you the basics of conflict, as opposed to living them in the moment and being overcome by your âhot brainâ. You get to think about the âcold-brainedâ aspects of conflict in a bit more of a literal sense.âĚý
As a dermatologist who works in an outpatient clinic, Dr. Christodoulou appreciates the exposure facilitating gives him to best practices of interprofessional care.ĚýĚý
ĚýâAs a facilitator, you also have to learn a little more about it yourself, so that you can effectively teach it while having the necessary context,â he says.ĚýĚý
Helping the next generation make leapsĚý
Dr. Christodoulou will be facilitating again in Winter 2024, when IPEA 502 and IPEA 503 will next be offered to learners in Montreal and at Campus Outaouais.ĚýĚý
âIt adds variety to your clinical practice, brings you back to the basics, and drills down the basic concepts of the situations that you are potentially exposed to on a day-to-day basis,â he says.ĚýĚý
âIt makes you feel good that youâre helping the next generation, who have yet to reach this point in their careers, allowing you to teach them and give them some context. Hopefully, that gives them a push or leap you might not have received during your training.âĚý
Interested in joining the OIPEâs growing group of facilitators? Contact the Office of Interprofessional Education to learn more about upcoming opportunities.ĚýĚý