Interprofessional, student-led community health clinic: expanding service provision and clinical education capacity
Roma Forbes A F , Emma Beckman B , Marion Tower C , Allison Mandrusiak A , Leander K. Mitchell D , Christopher T. Sexton E , Brent Cunningham B and Peter A. Lewis CA School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Therapies Annexe, St Lucia Campus, The University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia. Email: a.mandrusiak@uq.edu.au
B School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Human Movement Studies Building, St Lucia Campus, The University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia. Email: e.beckman@uq.edu.au; b.cunningham@uq.edu.au
C School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, Chamberlain Building, St Lucia Campus, The University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia. Email: m.tower@uq.edu.au; peter.lewis@uq.edu.au
D School of Psychology, McElwain Building, St Lucia Campus, The University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia. Email: leander@psy.uq.edu.au
E School of Dentistry, The Oral Health Centre, Herston Campus, The University of Queensland, Qld 4006, Australia. Email: c.sexton@uq.edu.au
F Corresponding author. Email: r.forbes2@uq.edu.au
Australian Health Review 45(2) 255-260 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH20021
Submitted: 7 February 2020 Accepted: 13 July 2020 Published: 10 November 2020
Abstract
Student-led interprofessional health clinics offer valuable opportunities for student learning and meeting the health care needs of the community. This case study describes the operation of a new interprofessional student-led community health service over its initial 13-month period of operation. This case study also presents an overview of the service provision, student placement opportunities and focuses on the challenges associated with the service and the impact on future planning.
What is known about the topic? Interprofessional student-led clinics offer an opportunity to meet clinical placement demands and interprofessional training needs while also providing a community service.
What does this paper add? This case study adds to the limited literature around knowledge of service delivery and challenges in the operation of community-based student-led interprofessional health services; future planning to streamline processes is also addressed.
What are the implications? There may be relevance to other university–industry partnerships that intend to explore student-led interprofessional service operations designed to address placement shortages, student training and community needs.
Keywords: clinical services, education and training, health services, health services research.
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