Patient/ Client/ Family Partners

IPE Patient/ Client/ Family Partners participate in student learning activities as a mentor, facilitate, and/or advisory capacity. 

• Mentors share their lived experience with the students in person or through video recording.

• Facilitators help facilitate discussions between students from various professional programs.

• Advisors collaborate with and advise faculty who develop, plan, implement, assess and evaluate the IPE curriculum, with particular attention to the needs and priorities for patient/client/family-partnered care.

The University of Toronto's IPE Curriculum engages students from the following programs: Dentistry, Master of Professional Kinesiology, Medical Radiation Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Social Work, and Speech-Language Pathology.

At this time all sessions are virtual, via Zoom.

Most volunteer sessions are within the St. George Campus of the University of Toronto. IPE Patient/ Client/ Family Partners are sometimes asked to volunteer in other locations for education sessions.

• Health Mentor Program - an IPE elective learning opportunity designed to engage interprofessional students in an experience involving multiple encounters with a health mentor / patient partner. IPE Patient/ Client/ Family Partners participate in two-2 hour evening gatherings.

• Understanding Patient/Client Partnerships in a Team Context - Students explore partnerships with a patient/client in a team context by learning from experiences of patient/ client/ family educators and through engaging in a theatre script developed by University of Toronto students and faculty. IPE Patient/ Client/ Family Partners participate in one-3 hour gathering.

• Various learning opportunities to 'Share Your Story/ Experience' related to Home Care; Palliative Care; HIV & Rehabilitation etc. Most of these opportunities invite IPE Patient/ Client/ Family Partners to participate in one-2 hour evening.

• Serve on an IPE Curriculum working group or committee (Bring the patient/client/family perspective).

• Join a research project as a collaborator.

• Complete a Volunteer application

• Participate in a brief phone interview to discuss your application, if more information is needed

• Attend educational and orientation opportunities

• Be willing to share your experience as a patient/client/family and/or caregiver

• Be supportive of teamwork across professions with a nonjudgmental and accepting attitude to learners and positive key messages to learn from.

We value the spectrum of contributions and knowledge of those with lived experience. Remuneration will be provided for those engaged, where permitted. The remuneration recognizes:

· Partners who are actively involved in teaching/facilitating students (e.g. Patient/Client Partnerships in a Team Context; Health Mentor Program)

· Partners who are engaged in the following committees/working groups:

      o   InterFaculty Curriculum Committee

      o   Patient/ Family/ Caregiver Advisory Committee

      o   Curriculum Working Groups

Additionally, we will reimburse for some pre-approved expenses relating directly to your attendance at IPE Patient/ Client/ Family Partner events/ meetings (e.g. TTC / parking).

The Interprofessional Education (IPE) Patient Partner Advisory Committee works with the Centre for Advancing Collaborative Healthcare & Education (CACHE) to enhance and foster patient/client/family partnerships and leadership. Members of this committee will collaborate with and advise faculty who develop, plan, implement, assess and evaluate the IPE curriculum, with particular attention to the needs and priorities for patient/client/family-partnered care.