IPE in a Virtual World
Karen Huhn PT PhD
Joseph Schwenkler MD
Albert Heuer PhD, MBA, RRT, RPFT
Susan Papparella-Pitzel PT DPT MS
Narcisso Rodriquez BS RRT-NPS, ACCS
Why Virtual Spaces?
• 3 most significant barriers to IPE
• scheduling
• time in curriculum
• resources in time and money
• Liston, Fischer, Way, Torre,
& Papp, 2011)
Description of Study
• Aim: to evaluate the effectiveness of
virtual clinical experiences on the
development of interdisciplinary care
skill for students in health related fields
• Pre/post test cross-over design with
mixed methodology
• Compare virtual clinical experiences to
standard patient encounters
Description of Study
• Subjects: Physical Therapy, Respiratory
Therapy, Physician Assistant
• Four teams, 2 cases virtually 2 cases
live
Outcome Measures
• Test of knowledge acquisition
• Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams
survey
• Focus Groups
Virtual World
• Built by Wonderbuilders
• Designed as a modifiable space
• Uses “inworld” apps to increase
functionality
• Configurations of space an be saved
and used again
Virtual Space
•
rutgersshrp.wonderbuilders.com:8080
Acknowledgment
• Foundation of University of Medicine
and Dentistry of New Jersey
• MEG