MSUM Hosts Interdisciplinary Treatment Sessions

Rachel Stotts of MSUM’s Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department, along with Dr. Brittany Anderson of the University of Jamestown’s Physical Therapy Program, and Dr. Kevin Anderson of the University of Mary’s Occupational Therapy Program, organized interprofessional treatment sessions for six clients at the MSUM Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic this April. Six interdisciplinary teams were formed with students from the Master of Science Program in Speech-Language Pathology at Minnesota State University Moorhead, the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at the University of Mary, and the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Jamestown. These interdisciplinary teams worked together to review a client’s case history, create a session treatment plan integrating all disciplines, facilitate the plan in an in-person session, and write a report including data and recommendations from all fields. The SLP, OT, and PT students gained valuable, real-life experience in interprofessional collaboration while planning, providing treatment, and writing documentation together. This is just one of the many ways the MSUM Speech-Language Pathology graduate program is committed to providing interdisciplinary education to its students.

Interdisciplinary Case Study Experience Brings Together SLP, PT, and OT Students

Rachel Stotts, Dr. Nancy Paul, and Dr. Kris Vossler of MSUM’s Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department, along with Dr. Brittany Anderson of the University of Jamestown’s Physical Therapy Program, Dr. Kevin Anderson, and Dr. Debra Hanson of the University of Mary’s Occupational Therapy Program have organized multiple interdisciplinary collaboration experiences for their graduate students this Spring. The first experience, hosted via Zoom on February 26, included education about each discipline and small group breakout discussions, including students from each field. The second experience was an interdisciplinary case study hosted on March 26. Prior to the meeting, students from the Master of Science Program in Speech-Language Pathology at Minnesota State University Moorhead, the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at the University of Mary, and the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Jamestown received the case history of a college-aged patient who had sustained a traumatic brain injury. The students reviewed the case history and worked with others in their programs to answer discipline-specific questions. Students met in interdisciplinary breakout rooms during the meeting on March 26 to discuss the case and their recommendations. Faculty facilitators were assigned to each breakout room and assisted in the flow of collaborative, educational discussion. The SLP, OT, and PT students gained valuable experience in interprofessional collaboration and education through this case study. The event was conducted via Zoom, with 125 people participating. This event is one of the many ways the Speech-Language Pathology graduate program is committed to providing interdisciplinary education to its students.