On January 7th-8th, 2021, Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers (WI AHEC) virtually hosted its 8th annual Interprofessional Case Competition (IPCC). This traditionally in-person event brought together interdisciplinary teams of health professions students across multiple professional schools and programs, both private and public, to develop and present a proposed solution to a healthcare challenge. Eight teams were selected out of thirteen, all of which competed for a $3,000 first-place cash prize. The finalist teams were judged by a panel comprising of interprofessional leaders within Wisconsin’s healthcare community and represented all seven of the Wisconsin AHEC regions and the state program office.
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Student teams were assigned a case study comprising of a complex healthcare dilemma, in which each team was expected to work together for two months to conduct an analysis of interprofessional efforts during the care of a patient within the community. The top teams then virtually presented their recommendations for enhanced interprofessional collaboration to the panel of judges.
The panel consisted of the following community healthcare champions: Michelle Corbette (Center for Urban Population Health, UW School of Medicine & Public Health), Megan Cory (Medical College of Wisconsin student and former competitor), Rochelle Lancaster (Professor of Nursing, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh), Gale Johnson (Director of the Wisconsin Well Woman Program, Wisconsin Department of Health Services) and Kristin Stearns (Chief Executive Officer, Lakeshore Community Health Care).
Cash prizes were awarded to the top three teams. First place ($3,000) was awarded to a team representing North Central AHEC: Hannah Marti- Phelan (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin), Sierra Smith (Social Work, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point), Shannon Faehling (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin).
Second place ($2,000) was secured by a team representing the State Program office via Milwaukee AHEC: Morgan Ashley Craft (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin), Abhiskhek Janardan (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin), Ana Untaroiu (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin) and Cedrick Antonio (Healthcare Administration, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee).
Third place ($1,000) went to a team representing Milwaukee AHEC: Chris Naas (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin), Paulina Gutkin (Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin), Adria Naas (Nursing, Carroll University), Jessica Brown (Exercise Science, Carroll University) and Alaina Moran (Nursing, Carroll University).
WI AHEC also hosted a reflection session for the students to discuss their experience, and how these teamwork skills will apply to their future interprofessional practice.