Educating for collaborative practice.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a baccalaureate-level course which is designed to help allied health professions students develop an understanding of collaborative practice among interdisciplinary components of a health care system and to report on a survey which assessed the effectiveness of the course for clinical laboratory science graduates. SETTING: University of Kentucky, a large (24,000 students) state-assisted institution PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Baccalaureate clinical laboratory science program PRACTICE INNOVATION: A college-wide course helps students develop an understanding of the linkages of the major components of a health care system and introduces the techniques necessary to function in an interdisciplinary team. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURE: Perception of benefit from the course by clinical laboratory science graduates. RESULTS: Graduates report that the course helped them develop a larger perspective of health care delivery beyond that of their own discipline and aided in their understanding of group processes and group problem-solving. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical laboratory science curricula can benefit from the inclusion of a college wide course which introduces a broad perspective of health care delivery and group process concepts.