The language of teamwork

​Spurred by a successful first-time collaboration during last summer’s Speech-Language Specialty Clinic, leaders of the speech-language pathology master’s program and physical therapy doctoral program are preparing to do it again this summer.

For two weeks, the students worked together in the new Child Development and Learning Laboratory housed in the College of Education and Human Services Building to determine the best developmental activities, behavior management approaches and communication strategies to meet the children’s needs.

Surveys taken before and after the project showed that both groups learned to think more holistically about the children’s needs, were more willing to sharing opinions and problem-solving ideas, and discovered the importance of creating a shared balance of roles and responsibilities in patient care. In addition, they developed a new understanding of each other’s professions.

“These are qualities vital to interprofessional practice and for making real change in health care services,” said Laurie Bahlke, clinical instructor in speech-language pathology and interim interprofessional education representative for The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions.