Case-Based Teaching for Interprofessional Postgraduate Trainees in Adolescent Health.
Adolescent health providers increasingly work in interprofessional environments. There is a lack of evidence regarding best educational practices for preparing the adolescent health care workforce of the future. We developed, implemented, and evaluated an interprofessional longitudinal case-based curriculum for postgraduate trainees in adolescent health.



Faculty in an academic adolescent medicine division worked collaboratively with recent trainees to develop six teaching cases illustrative of interprofessional care of adolescents. During the 2013-2014 academic year, seven trainees (two social workers, two physicians, one nurse practitioner, one psychologist, and one dietician) completed the six month-long case modules while simultaneously working together in an interprofessional clinic. Trainees completed four-item pre- and post-case questionnaires that assessed confidence with assessment and diagnosis, comfort with counseling skills, ability to devise a treatment plan, and understanding of their colleagues' role for each of the six cases. Participants completed the 19-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and the 12-item Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale at three time points during the academic year and a 15-minute interview after their final session.



Confidence with assessment/diagnosis, comfort counseling adolescents, and the ability to devise treatment plans increased for most case topics, as did understanding of the role of others on the interprofessional team. Mean Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale scores were high at baseline and similar at all three time points. Interviews highlighted the value of role clarity, communication, and learning within interprofessional teams along with modeling from interprofessional faculty.



Case-based learning in conjunction with collaborative practice provided a successful teaching strategy for interprofessionals in adolescent health.
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: holly.gooding@childrens.harvard.edu.
Holly C
HC
Gooding
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sonja
S
Ziniel
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Currie
C
Touloumtzis
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sarah
S
Pitts
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Adrianne
A
Goncalves
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jean
J
Emans
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; School of Nursing, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
Pam
P
Burke
D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health / Q000592:standards*; D000328:Adult; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D055815:Young Adult
Adolescent; Case-based curriculum; Interprofessional communication; Public health professional education; Young adult