Patients as educators in health professional programs at UBC: strengthening their voice

TitlePatients as educators in health professional programs at UBC: strengthening their voice
Faculty/College/UnitUBC Health
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2006
Completion03/31/2007
Project Summary

Objective: To examine and develop the role of *patients/ clients as active educators in health professions programs at UBC.

Rationale: Patients as teachers have a long tradition in health professions education but usually in a passive role (as "clinical material" or "audiovisual aids"). The value of patients taking a more active role, not only as teachers, but in other aspects of the educational process is increasingly recognized as important for learning in the health professions. A recent international conference hosted by UBC identified a number of successful models which are being implemented in different countries in different health professions programs. This project is designed to build on this pioneering work for the benefit of programs at UBC.

Methods: i) survey current engagement of patients as educators at UBC to document the different roles that patients play; ii) document the benefits and challenges that students experience in learning from patients during their UBC programs; iii) collect and review innovative practice models from other programs in Canada and internationally; iv) develop and pilot models of patient engagement; v) develop methods to evaluate immediate and long term outcomes for students, educators and patients; vi) develop and implement a training workshop and materials; vii) disseminate the models via our website, faculty development workshops, poster/conference presentation, etc.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2006/2007
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorAngela Towle
Year 1: Funded Amount44,996
Year 1: Team Members

Angela Towle, Health Care Communication, College of Health Disciplines
Lesley Bainbridge, Professor / Associate Principal, Interprofessional Programs, College of Health Disciplines
William Godolphin, Professor, Pathology and Lab Medicine, Faculty of Medicine