Call for an interprofessional, experiential, performance-based model for health professions education

Medical errors are cited among the leading causes of death in the United States, resulting in devastating consequences for patients and their families, besides adding substantial costs to healthcare. Communication within and between teams is cited as a major contributing factor to patient deaths due to preventable medical errors. Although Universities and Academic Health Centers aim to graduate competent healthcare professionals who are effective healthcare team members, the importance and degree of emphasis given to interprofessional education (IPE) across health professions accreditation organizations is variable. To ensure a highly skilled, efficient and confident health professions workforce, an interprofessional, experiential, performance-based model for health professions education is proposed. This transformational model must be relevant for this high-risk, data-driven and increasingly technological medical era. Finally, it must revolve around patient safety and well-being as patients traverse through the levels of the healthcare system and upon the safety and well-being of professionals providing them care.