Together We Stand: The Imperative for Interprofessional Education in Professional Psychology Training

In this article, we argue that interprofessional competencies are increasingly necessary to achieving success in all facets of a professional psychologist's work. We note that the growing complexity of health challenges facing Canadians requires a renewed investment in interprofessional care and interdisciplinary research. We define key terms and discuss significant national and international trends toward interprofessional, competency-based training in health professional education. In Canada, psychology has been largely absent from these efforts, and we identify barriers that may be inhibiting psychology's participation in interprofessional education (IPE). We describe a model for integrating competency-based IPE across the continuum of professional training, and provide an example of the model's implementation. We then offer a number of recommendations for the future of professional psychology training and argue that involvement in high-quality IPE should be a program and internship accreditation requirement. Finally, we conclude by discussing the implications for the future of psychology as a health care profession if we fail to modify our current training model. Public Significance Statement This article argues that interprofessional competencies are increasingly necessary to achieving success in all facets of a professional psychologist's work; however, there is currently no requirement for professional psychology programs to teach or assess these vital competencies. We describe a model for integrating competency-based Interprofessional Education (IPE) across the continuum of professional training, provide an example of the model's implementation, and discuss recommendations for incorporating IPE into accreditation standards. Failure to decisively champion IPE may result in reduced access to psychological services for Canadians in the future, and may limit the capacity of psychology graduates to provide safe and effective care.