Interprofessional education as part of becoming a doctor or physiotherapist in a competency-based curriculum.
Interprofessional learning is a critical pre-requisite for future interprofessional work. Structural adaptations in education offer possibilities to introduce new concepts. Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are both prevented and treated by physicians and physiotherapists but the development of interprofessional roles is seldom part of curricula.



A complex, longitudinal interprofessional educational approach for future doctors and physiotherapists was designed and implanted at various stages (anatomy, physical examination, pathology, therapy). Most segments of the RMD curriculum are now based on interprofessional classes. Student satisfaction with learning is continually and comparatively evaluated. Learning success is assessed with practical and written exams.



Interprofessional teaching was first introduced in 2013 for 420 first-year and 360 fourth-year medical students, along with 40 first- and third-year physiotherapy majors. The satisfaction with teaching and learning is high and distinctly above average for all teaching areas (satisfaction RMD rated as 2.4; average for all is 3.3). The percentage of those who pass the final exam is 94%. 100% of the students surveyed support the continuation of this interprofessional unit.



Interprofessional teaching of RMD can be successfully implemented for future physicians and physiotherapists at different learning levels.
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Duesseldorf, Poliklinik, Funktionsbereich & Hiller Forschungszentrum für Rheumatologie, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Oliver
O
Sander
Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf Ausbildungszentrum, Fachbereich Physiotherapie, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Regine
R
Schmidt
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Institut für Anatomie I, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Gerd
G
Rehkämper
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Klinik für Unfall und Handchirurgie, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Tim
T
Lögters
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Orthopädische Klinik, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Christoph
C
Zilkens
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Duesseldorf, Funktionsbereich & Hiller Forschungszentrum für Rheumatologie, Düsseldorf, Germany; Heinrich-Heine-Universität Duesseldorf, Medizinische Fakultät, Studiendekanat, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Matthias
M
Schneider
D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D059825:Physical Therapists; D010820:Physicians; D013337:Students, Medical
diseases of the musculoskeletal system; interprofessional learning; patient partner; physiotherapy