Promoting core synergism: Multidisciplinary collaboration in training health professionals, the case of Moi University

Introduction: Healthcare faces evolving cross-cutting demands aggravated by emergence of challenging public health issues. For health professionals to attain optimum results, higher levels of coordinated collaboration efforts are essential. Sufficient evidence has shown that collaborative learning leads to increased collaboration in healthcare practice. However, numerous barriers to the implementation of interprofessional/multiprofessional education remain.Objectives:

1.       Describe the interprofessional education approach as implemented at Moi University

2.       Discuss implementation challenges and workable solution

Approach: A brainchild of the World Health Organisation’s ‘Learning together to work together’, Moi University adopted Innovative Medical education approach in training health professions students, undergraduate and postgraduate. Interprofessional integration is a core component: all students at respective levels of study share core public health related coursework- lectures, tutorials, research work-groups, common assignments, field placements, and examinations. The objectives of the program are to: establish interprofessional collaboration in healthcare delivery, develop a continuum of comprehensive interprofessional education programs based upon local needs, enhance interprofessional awareness, knowledge and skills of al health practitioners, and prepare multidisplinary leaders and managers for new healthcare delivery responsibilities.

The main challenges faced include: negative attitude towards interprofessional education approach; lack of insight into the roles and inter-professional working relationships complicated by lack of universally accepted definition and scope of interprofessional education; conventional structural segregation of trainees into courses, campuses etc; significant perceived status differences of different cadres; insufficient resources for implementation of interprofessional education; independent isolative development of  the different curricula hence failing to maximize on the similarities and optimize differences.

Preliminary lessons: Data from ministry of health (MOH) indicates higher core competence scores by Moi University graduates, many hired as top district medical officers of health in charge of administration and policy development. The program lays core emphasis systematic documentation knowledge contributions and integration of academic and community programs into management structures.