The HIV Interprofessional Education Program is a unique opportunity for health professions students to gain foundational knowledge and skills in interprofessional collaborative practice and HIV care. This regional program is coordinated by the MATEC central office at the University of Illinois Chicago, and is being implemented at several universities in the region.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a one-credit, elective course, “Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in HIV Care,” is offered in spring semester through the School of Pharmacy with support from the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center – Wisconsin, and is cross-listed with the Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Nursing, and Social Work.
The course, which is open to select medical, nursing, pharmacy and social work students, utilizes a blended learning model, and includes in-person sessions, online learning, and optional supervised clinical experiences. Students participate in the course as part of an interprofessional student team and a key focus is learning about the roles and contributions to HIV care of each member of the health care team.
Course content covers topics such as:
- The history of the HIV epidemic
- Current HIV epidemiology, including populations disproportionately impacted by HIV
- Principles of interprofessional practice and education
- Basic principles of HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment
- HIV care models and the role of interprofessional teams in HIV care
The course was piloted in 2017 with 12 students coming from medicine, nursing and pharmacy, and expanded in 2018 to include 24 students, including medical, nursing, pharmacy and social work students.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIV INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, CONTACT MATEC@MEDICINE.WISC.EDU OR CALL (608) 261-1152.
Interprofessional Course Prepares Students to Provide Team-Based HIV Care
The Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in HIV Care course was featured in the UW SMPH Department of Medicine Vital Signs newsletter on July 8, 2020. It highlighted how students were learning about team-based care for HIV during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided a unique opportunity for students and faculty alike.