Abstract

Interprofessional education is a popular term, and becoming a way for health science colleges to differentiate themselves in the market. And yet, truly interprofessional learning and teaching is hard to accomplish, as we are all quite dedicated to our disciplinary constructs, learning approaches, and even language. One interdisciplinary health sciences doctoral program is discussed for its successes and struggles in having a truly interprofessional approach for mid-career occupational therapists, social workers, nurses, speech pathologists, physical therapists, and vision rehabilitation specialists. This approach involves the critical evaluation of theories and philosophical frameworks that inform curriculum, teaching, and structure, and an awareness of the unique qualities that adult learners bring to the task. Innovation in the delivery of course content forces us to examine not only our andragogic framework, but also the methodology of teaching to enhance access and prepare adults for learning and doing in the 21st century.