

Kieran Walsh: Do you believe in interprofessional education?

7 Nov, 13 | by BMJ



So this is my turn to get my own back and ask some questions of my own. Why do we ask people if they believe in institutions, concepts, ideas, theories, models? Why is it necessary to have beliefs in any of these things? Why do we group people into believers and non-believers? Why do we treat certain institutions like modern gods? If anyone has any answers, I would be really interested—I have no idea.

Do I believe in interprofessional education? I think it is probably a silly question. And I would say that even if I was asked by a professor of interprofessional education, Jeremy Paxman, or a bishop. Interprofessional education is far too complex to be reduced to something that you can or cannot believe in. In certain circumstances, it can enable better communication and better teamworking and can lead to improved patient care. In other circumstances, learners are left feeling that they have received content that is just not right for them—maybe too hard or too easy—or maybe in the wrong format.

Interprofessional education was mentioned a number of times at the recent annual meeting of the Academy of Medical Educators. Task shifting was another buzzword at the meeting—we are likely to hear more about this concept over the next few years. It means moving a task to a member of a different profession who can then perform the task more efficiently or at a lower cost. It can be done, but beware those who promise massive savings as a result—they are rarely forthcoming. Interprofessional education cannot work in isolation. Health professionals may learn in interprofessional settings but if they practice in uniprofessional teams their learning will soon be lost. The two must be integrated.

What forms of medical education do I believe in? I believe that beliefs have their place. But that they shouldn’t have much of a place when we are making decisions about how we deliver medical education. Here evidence should trump belief.

Competing interests: Kieran Walsh works for BMJ Learning and Quality—the medical education and quality improvement division of BMJ.


  • Mike Davis

    I have been involved in education at secondary, higher and continuing medical for over 40 years and I have never been asked if I “believe” in one model or another. I have been asked what I think about these issues and in some cases, I have been able to point to lots of collective experience, or philosophy, or psychology or history or logic to support or refute the idea under consideration. The nature of evidence from these sources, however, is varied. It would be interested to know what kind of evidence Walsh “believes” in.

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