Heidi Cheerman
PT, DPT, EdD, NCS
Assistant Clinical Professor; Assistant Dean for Interprofessional Education Physical Therapy, Human Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences
REDEfine what’s possible in HEALThCARE
Interprofessional education occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. Once students understand how to work interprofessionally, they are ready to enter the workplace as a member of the collaborative practice team. This is a key step in moving health systems from fragmentation to a position of strength.
At Bouvé, Health profession students have the opportunity throughout their coursework to learn on an interdisciplinary collaborative team with a diverse group of individuals. Students experience interdisciplinary education (IPE) through case-based application, a state-of-the-art Simulation Center with case scenarios, team rounding on complex cases, health humanities, community engagement, and real-world hands-on practice with our clinical partners.
Our IPE content focuses on students, faculty, and practicing clinicians confronting health inequities and social injustice. Our students learn how social determinants of health, implicit bias, circuits of power, structures in health policy and law, and institutional policies and practices impact clinical decision making, patient outcomes, and population health.
The IPE experiences have helped me better understand my role as a physical therapist on an interprofessional team and how to better advocate for my patients to promote improved care and outcomes.”
student spotlight
Work with team members to maintain a climate of team values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect.
Use the knowledge of one’s own role and team members’ expertise to address individual population health outcomes.
Communicate in a responsive, responsible, respectful, and compassionate manner with team members.
Apply values and principles of the science of teamwork to adapt one’s own role in a variety of team settings.
This experience has deepened my understanding of the multifaceted nature of patient care and how it varies depending on the patient’s condition. Overall, this experience allowed me to appreciate the holistic approach to patient treatment as well as sharpen my skills in collaborating purposefully with other healthcare professionals.
student spotlight
Spring 2025 IPE 3 -Part Series
JUSTICE, EQUITY AND INTERSECTIONAL INSIGHTS: IMPROVING HEALTHCARE FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Did you know: Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) face significant risks for poor health outcomes and healthcare disparities due to a lack of quality and equitable care, further exacerbated by intersectional identities such as race, gender, and sexuality.
Join Us: For an exclusive IPE series designed to empower healthcare students, educators, and professionals with the knowledge and tools to provide equitable, just, and person-centered care for individuals with IDD.
PART 2: Interprofessional Expert Panel
MARCH 11, 2025 | 5 – 6:30 PM via Zoom
PART 3: Case Bases Teams Rounds
MARCH 25, 2025 | 5 – 6:30 PM, BK 4th Floor
Please contact: Heidi Cheerman, AD for IPE
On December 12, 2024 there was an interprofessional education (IPE) event held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston which included Bouve College of Health Sciences nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy students and faculty.
Dr. Dalia Linssen, PhD, Senior Director of Academic Engagement and Research at the MFA led the students through a pre-brief dialogue, walk-through of the exhibition Tender Loving Care, and a de-brief dialogue. Dr. Linssen spoke of how the Tender Loving Care exhibition invites the visitor to experience works of contemporary art from across the MFA’s permanent collection that suggest many forms of care and in many different ways: as subject matter of the artwork; evidenced in the process of making and care of materials; and in the way these works are cared for by the museum itself.
She highlighted the exhibition’s core concepts connected to notions of care that relate to the provision of healthcare across multiple levels, from the broad application of care regarding patients and their communities as well as through understanding the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of individuals and teams who provide care in healthcare.
Museum based art experiences that integrate skills of close looking, inquiry, and dialogue create an invitation for deliberately slowing down, observing detail, and applying reflective thinking. In health profession education, intentional experiences with art can help foster cultural awareness, appreciation for creativity, greater self-awareness, enhanced communication, and understanding of diverse perspectives that support learning and collaboration.
The thing that I love most about the IPE experience is gaining a better understanding of other professions. Hearing the prospectives from speech and language and physical therapy is helpful in order to better collaborate with them. This will allow us to provide the best care possible to our patients.
student spotlight
PT, DPT, EdD, NCS
Assistant Clinical Professor; Assistant Dean for Interprofessional Education Physical Therapy, Human Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences
PhD, CCC-SLP
Assistant Clinical Professor; School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences Lead, Interprofessional Eduation Communication Sciences and Disorders
PhD, MPH
Associate Teaching Professor; School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences Lead, Interprofessional Education Public Health and Health Sciences
PharmD
Assistant Clinical Professor; School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Lead, Interprofessional Education Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences
MS, ACNP
Visiting Associate Clinical Professor; Program Director, Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program; School of Nursing Lead, Interprofessional Education Nursing
