Second-year graduate students in speech-language pathology and doctoral students in physical therapy participated in an interprofessional education (IPE) event where they shared insights about their respective fields, discussed interdisciplinary roles in clinical practice and collaborated on neurological client cases.
The two-hour event featured hands-on learning and training with assistive devices such as gait belts and walkers. It also included instruction on safe swallowing practices, including the use of food and beverage thickeners when indicated. As part of the experience, all students developed and implemented co-treatment plans for client cases involving various neurological disorders.
The event was coordinated by Kelli Gorajec, MA, CCC-SLP, assistant instructor from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, along with Bryn Hager, PT, DPT, PCS, CBIS, assistant professor and Rebecca Edgeworth Ditwiler, PhD, PT, DPT, associate professor from the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences. IPE coordinators plan to continue fostering departmental collaboration to create annual student learning experiences and engagement opportunities.