Join us for the first IPEC Symposium!

On November 13, 2025, collaborate, learn, and network with your interprofessional colleagues online.

Click here to learn more.

Register

Registration is now open.

Location
Zoom and IPEC Connect

Agenda (as of 7/18/25, subject to changes)

10:50 – 11:00 AM ET

PREP FOR SYNCHRONOUS E-LEARNING • Setting up for Success

Prepare to navigate the virtual environment and engage fully in the symposium’s live sessions and activities.

11:00 – 11:05 AM ET

WELCOME REMARKS • Launching the Symposium Experience

Hear opening remarks that welcome you to the symposium, highlight its purpose, and set the tone for an engaging and collaborative learning experience.

Shelley McKearney, IPEC Administrative Director, Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)

Objectives:

• Recognize the goals and structure of the IPEC Symposium.
• Describe the purpose of IPEC’s interprofessional programming.

11:05 – 11:30 AM ET

OPENING PLENARY • Building IPE for a Changing World

Explore the evolving landscape of interprofessional education (IPE) and its role in addressing today’s healthcare challenges.

Elizabeth M. Weist, MA, MPH, CPH, Director of Education, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH)

Megan Fujita, PhD, MSW, Vice President of Education, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

Objectives:

• Explain why IPE is essential in today’s healthcare context.
• Identify key trends influencing the future of IPE.

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM ET

KEYNOTE ADDRESS • Catalysts for Change: Advancing IPE Through Leadership and Advocacy

Explore how regional communities of practice can strengthen IPE for collaborative practice (IPECP) through educator development, institutional collaboration, and systems-level advocacy. Gain practical strategies to build sustainable programs, mentor IPE leaders, and engage partners in advancing shared goals.

Renée Bogschutz, PhD, CCC-SLP, FNAP, Associate Provost of Interprofessional and Collaborative Curriculum, Office of Interprofessional Education, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Objectives:

• Examine how regional collaboration and faculty development can support the growth and sustainability of IPECP.
• Apply advocacy and partnership strategies to advance IPE within institutions and across sectors.

12:15 – 12:20 PM ET

STRECH & REFLECT • 5-Minute Break

12:20 – 12:50 PM ET

FOUNDATION FOCUS #1 • Securing the Future: Sustainable Funding Models for IPE

Examine evidence-based funding strategies that support the scalability and sustainability of IPE programs.

Laura Romito, DDS, MS, MBA, FNAP, Associate Dean for Education and Academic Affairs and Professor, Biomedical & Applied Sciences, School of Dentistry, Indiana University

Objectives:

• List common sources of funding that support IPE programs.
• Describe features of sustainable funding models for IPE and their importance in program success.

12:50 – 1:20 PM ET

FOUNDATION FOCUS #2 • Co-Creating with Communities: Patients as Educators and Partners in IPE

Explore the value of engaging patients and communities in IPE design and delivery.

Margie Arnett, MS, Director, Center for Transformative Interprofessional Healthcare (CTIPH), University of Arizona

Objectives:

• Recognize the various roles patients can have as partners in IPE design and delivery.
• Describe the value and impact of engaging patients and communities in health professions education.

1:20 – 1:55 PM ET

LUNCH BREAK • 35-Minute Break

1:55 – 2:25 PM ET

FOUNDATION FOCUS #3 • The Digital Shift: IPE for a Tech-Driven Future

Explore how IPE can equip teams to collaborate effectively in technology-enabled environments using digital health tools like telehealth, data platforms, and AI.

Cornelius James, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Learning Health Sciences, Medical School, University of Michigan

Objectives:

• Recognize digital tools commonly used to support IPE and collaboration.
• Describe how perceived usefulness and ease of use influence acceptance of virtual and hybrid IPE approaches.

2:25 – 2:55 PM ET

FOUNDATION FOCUS #4 • Strengthening Health Literacy: An Interprofessional Collaboration Approach

Discover how IPE can build team capacity to promote clear communication, support informed decision-making, and address health misinformation in both learner and community settings.

Cynthia Baur, PhD, Director, Horowitz Center for Health Literacy and Horowitz Endowed Chair in Health Literacy, School of Public Health, University of Maryland (UMD); Co-Director, UMD Pandemic Readiness Initiative; Director, Maryland Consumer Health Information Hub

Objectives:

• Identify key components of health literacy and basic strategies to counter health misinformation in interprofessional settings.
• Explain how IPE can support clear communication and improve trust and outcomes in diverse populations.

2:55 – 3:00 PM ET

STRECH & REFLECT • 5-Minute Break

3:00 – 3:30 PM ET

TRACK 1 — Defining Our Core: Ethics, Values & Shared Professionalism

Explore how interprofessional teams can unify around shared values and professionalism by aligning individual ethical commitments with collective standards to strengthen collaborative care.

Robin Arndt, DSW, MSW, LSW, Instructor and Coordinator of Field and Continuing Education, Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Objectives:

• Describe how shared values like respect, accountability, and integrity support effective interprofessional teamwork.
• Recognize how aligning profession-specific values with interprofessional standards builds trust and ethical collaboration.

TRACK 2 — Redefining Roles: Evolving Responsibilities for Tomorrow’s Health Teams

Investigate how interprofessional roles are constantly evolving and explore how applying learning theories can help teams adapt responsively to changing scopes, responsibilities, and collaborative needs.

Hossein Khalili, RN, BScN, MScN, PhD, FNAP, Professor and Senior Associate Dean of Academic Administration, School of Health Sciences, Winston-Salem State University; President, InterprofessionalResearch.Global (IPR.Global)

Objectives:

• Describe how interprofessional roles and responsibilities can shift across different healthcare settings.
• Identify strategies that promote adaptability and teamwork in changing care environments.

3:30 – 3:35 PM ET

STRECH & REFLECT • 5-Minute Break

3:35 – 4:05 PM ET

TRACK 1 — Revolutionizing Communication: Digital Tools and Human Connection

Explore how technology and interprofessional skills combine to foster meaningful collaboration while managing challenges like digital fatigue, information overload, and maintaining empathy in virtual settings.

Jonathan Garcia, PhD, Associate Professor, College of Health, Oregon State University (OSU); MPH Program Director, School of Nutrition and Public Health, OSU – Corvallis Campus

Objectives:

• Describe important factors in using digital tools to facilitate interprofessional communication.
• Explain how empathy and active listening strengthen virtual collaboration when nonverbal cues are limited.

TRACK 2 — Resilient Teams: Strategies for Collaboration in High-Stress Environments

Explore how interprofessional teams can build trust, communicate effectively, and stay connected under pressure by fostering a shared sense of purpose and adaptability.

Objectives:

• Describe ways interprofessional teams can build resilience through trust, psychological safety, and adaptability.
• Explain how shared understanding and flexibility support teamwork in high-stress situations.

4:05 – 4:55 PM ET

PANEL DISCUSSION • Strategic Leadership: Advancing IPE in Times of Change

Hear from leaders as they share strategies to sustain and advance IPE through ongoing institutional and global changes.

Gina Baugh, PharmD, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences, School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University (WVU); Director of Interprofessional Education, WVU Health Sciences Center

Jitana Benton-Lee, Ph.D.(c), DNP, MBA-HC, NEA-BC, CNE, Director of Northern Kentucky University (NKY) Nursing and Interprofessional Research, NKY and St. Elizabeth Healthcare Collaborative; Associate Professor, School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services, NKY; Liaison to the United Nations, Sigma Theta Tau International

Objectives:

• Identify promising practices for adjusting IPE approaches in response to changing needs and environments.
• Describe leadership strategies that support the growth and sustainability of IPE.

4:55 – 5:00 PM ET

FINAL DEBRIEF • Summarizing Tools for Your IPE Journey

Review key takeaways and next steps in applying what you’ve learned.

Shelley McKearney

Objectives:

• Summarize major concepts discussed during the Symposium.
• Identify resources to support IPE and collaborative practice at your home institution.