Fostering the development of effective person-centered healthcare communication skills: An interprofessional shared learning model

Objective: To describe the implementation of an interprofessional shared learning model designed to promote the development of person-centered healthcare communication skills. Participants: Master of social work (MSW) and doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree students. Methods: The model used evidence-based principles of effective healthcare communication and shared learning methods; it was aligned with student learning outcomes contained in MSW and DPT curricula. Students engaged in 3 learning sessions over 2 days. Sessions involved interactive reflective learning, simulated role-modeling with peer assessment, and context-specific practice of communication skills. The perspective of patients/clients was included in each learning activity. Activities were evaluated through narrative feedback. Results: Students valued opportunities to learn directly from each other and from healthcare consumers. Important insights and directions for future interprofessional learning experiences were gleaned from model implementation. Conclusions: The interprofessional shared learning model shows promise as an effective method for developing person-centered communication skills.