Interactive Interprofessionalism

Taken by all first-year health professions students at RFU, HIPS 515 Foundations for Interprofessional Practice is known for its dynamic, interactive learning opportunities. With class sizes topping 500, students create small, course-long teams from different disciplines to tackle assignments. Half the course is spent working within these teams to take on group projects that build better understanding among professions.

HIPS 515 is co-taught by Robin Dyer, MD, OTR, CHSE, MS-HPE, an assistant professor at Chicago Medical School. A beloved professor, she is also one of RFU’s newest graduates, having earned her MS in health professions education in 2025.

The remaining course time is devoted to in-person speakers and themes. Programs have included a discussion of the social determinants of health with the director of the Lake County Health Department and training on the use of naloxone, or Narcan, for overdose prevention. RFU President Wendy Rheault, PT, PhD, FASAHP, FNAP, DipACLM, presented on compassion, empathy, shared decision-making and teamwork — all tied to interprofessionalism and health-systems science. A participatory podcast session with “Docs Outside the Box” let students chat live with the hosts about the impact of debt and the importance of money management for health professionals.

HIPS 515 is designed to incorporate the quadruple aim of health care: improving patient outcome, cost efficiency, healthcare team wellness and population health. It does so in a multifaceted approach, with an emphasis on human connection.