"ENHANCING STUDENT LEARNING ON PLACEMENT THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CASE-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL MODEL OF EDUCATION: PERSPECTIVES OF STUDENTS, THERAPISTS AND REGIONAL PLACEMENT FACILITATORS "

To implement and evaluate an innovative model of interprofessional education. The aim is to improve interprofessional communication and team working skills for the students and therapists. Therapists are working in environments which require interprofessional collaboration therefore it seems imperative that interprofessional working should be mirrored in student education, especially during placements. From reviewing the evidence no evaluation within Ireland has been completed on interprofessional education initiatives linked to the practice education of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy students. This research project plans to implement the MAGPIE framework for interprofessional case-based teaching linked to the University of Queensland. Students on the placement site will be involved in case based sessions concerning one of their patients which will be facilitated by the regional placement facilitators. This will be for one half day per week and the sessions will inform the student's interventions with patients. In the final week the students will present their case from an interprofessional perspective to team members. Three separate focus groups will explore the experiences of the students, therapists and regional placement facilitators following each placement in order to enhance the implementation of this interprofessional education model in further sites.The evaluation of this interprofessional model in practice education aims to integrate research into teaching during practice placement in order to ultimately provide best interprofessional clinical practice for patients and communities. This project was funded by the NAIRTL 2009 Grants Initiative.