Learning about, from and with one another – starting an education journey together

The academic year 2019/2020 started uniquely for Pharmacy freshmen, as students gathered at the University Cultural Centre, Concert Hall, together with their counterparts from medicine, dentistry and nursing, for the first inaugural Healthcare Mass Induction 2019 (HMI2019) on the first day of school.

The key purpose of HMI2019 was to induct students to the concept and importance of interprofessional collaboration to provide effective care for patients which begins at the educational setting through interprofessional education (IPE). Students were first given a warm welcome by the Guest-of-Honour, Professor John Eu-Li Wong, Chief Executive, NUHS, followed by a series of activities to unravel the ideas about IPE.

This began with a visual thinking strategy activity led by Dr Chng Hui Ting (NUS Pharmacy). Pharmacy freshmen, Xavier Tan (Class of ’23) and Ng Wee Kang (Class of ’23), participated in this activity on stage with a few freshmen from the other health professions programs. Through viewing the artwork, Life by the River by Liu Kang, and sharing what they thought was going on in the art piece, students then reflected and appreciated how everyone may view the same picture differently, how there were bound to be different interpretations, and also the importance of listening to one another without judging when someone speaks. The relevance of these insights was tied back to working together in future by questions posted to the audience using Poll Everywhere, facilitated by Dr Chng.

Visual thinking strategy activity involving student representatives from the four healthcare professions, led by Dr Chng Hui Ting, NUS Pharmacy

Dr Rosalind Siah (NUS Nursing) then led a faculty/practitioner sharing session where the audience heard from Dr Han Zhe (NUS Pharmacy), Dr Michael Lim (NUH Pediatrics) and A/P Wong Mun Loke (NUS Dentistry), about interprofessional collaboration in day-to-day practice. Dr Michael’s key take home message to all was that IPCP is not working “alongside” one another, but working together with one another.

Sharing on interprofessional collaboration at workplace (from L to R): Dr Rosalind Siah, Alice Centre for Nursing Studies; Dr Han Zhe, NUS Pharmacy; Dr Michael Lim, NUHS; A/P Wong Mun Loke, NUS Dentistry.

A video clip of interviews with senior students from the various programs on their thoughts and participation in IPE was also shown. Mr Liu Hon Jin (Pharmacy, Class of ’20) shared that his appreciation on the roles and contributions of the different professions came from participating in the Healthcare Team Challenge (HCTC) 2019 where in this challenge, he and students from the other professions had to propose a holistic care plan for a patient within 3 days.

The climax of the programme was a heartwarming sharing by Mr Aaron Graham Tay, who is a patient at the NUH Centre for Organ Transplantation. Mr Tay inspired students with his personal stories on how he has benefited from concerted team care in his journey through the healthcare system since being diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the age of nine.

Dr Chng Hui Ting with Mr Aaron Graham Tay and his family

The induction programme ended with some light-hearted ice breaker activities crafted by Mr Teh Feng Kun from Pharmacy (Class of ’21) and the other IPE student representatives.

HMI2019 is the first of many subsequent opportunities for healthcare professions students to learn about, from and with one another in their education journey in NUS, so as to become collaborative practice-ready healthcare professions when they embark on their journey to care for patients in future.

Article by Dr Chng Hui Ting (NUS Pharmacy academic faculty, Class of ’08)