Exploring Social Media’s Potential in Interprofessional Education

Authors

  • Jeff Cain University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
  • Katherine Chretien George Washington University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/jripe.2013v3n2a110

Keywords:

social media, online learning, social networking, online community

Abstract

Social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs have become part of mainstream society and are currently being used throughout health professions education. The asynchronous nature and conversational aspects of social media permit learners to collaborate with and learn from others in different fields. Interprofessional education (IPE) is a growing paradigm in health professions schools for a variety of reasons, including the desire to teach future practitioners how to communicate with each other and engage in collaborative care. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of IPE curricula, those programs must overcome numerous logistical barriers to be successful. Finding suitable times and locations for interprofessional students to meet and arranging opportunities for them to collaborate on healthcare issues are just two of the logistical impediments to IPE implementation. Fortunately, the asynchronous, conversational, and collaborative aspects of social media applications enable them to facilitate interprofessional communication and alleviate some of the time and space issues. In this article, we describe in further detail the merits of social media relevant to IPE, provide specific examples of how social media can be used to enhance aspects of IPE programs, and make a call for further research in this area.

Author Biography

Jeff Cain, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy

Jeff Cain, EdD, MS, is an Adjunct Associate Professor for the Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science and Director of Education Technology for the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. Dr. Cain’s primary research interests are e-professionalism, social media applications in education and health science professions, and educational technology. He has numerous publications and presentations pertaining to social media, teaching and learning, and instructional technology – particularly as they relate to the health professions. He currently serves as associate editor of Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning and is a contributing editor to Interface: The Journal of Education, Community, and Values.

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Published

2013-08-14

Issue

Section

Articles: Reflection