These Principles Drive the Work of IU IPE
At the Indiana University Interprofessional Practice and Education Center (IU IPE), our work is driven by five core principles. These reflect our commitment to building a collaborative, equity-focused workforce and strengthening the systems that support community and population health. Each principle is anchored in real programs, partnerships, and scholarly contributions that define who we are and what we do.
1. The Future Workforce
We prepare students across Indiana to become effective members of collaborative teams. Through our Interprofessional Core Curriculum and Collaborative Topics series —including experiences like our Veteran Trauma and Transparency Program—students practice communication, shared decision-making, and team-based problem solving in realistic scenarios. Our goal: to develop professionals who are ready to lead and serve on day one.
2. The Current Workforce
IU IPE supports practicing professionals and faculty through structured faculty development and a growing consultancy business. Our regular training initiatives help educators embed IPE principles into their teaching and strengthen collaboration in both academic and clinical environments.
3. Community
We work alongside local organizations and clinical partners to co-create learning experiences that reflect the needs of diverse populations. Initiatives like our Cycles of Addiction Experience, wellness fairs, and the Comprehensive Pain Clinic ensure students learn with and from the people they serve, while actively contributing to population health and social care solutions.
4. Advocacy
We advocate for system-level change that supports and sustains interprofessional collaboration in health and social care. Through active membership in organizations like the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative, Big Ten Interprofessional Collaborative, Interprofessional.Global, and the National Academies of Practice, IU IPE contributes to national and global conversations on workforce development, education reform, and health equity. Our faculty engage in policy discussions, share best practices, and prepare students to recognize systemic barriers, engage ethically, and lead within complex care environments.
5. Sharing and Building Expertise
IU IPE contributes to the evolving field of interprofessional education through research, scholarship, and global collaboration. Our faculty are published experts who share their work at national and international conferences—including the Collaboration Across Boarders, All Together Better Health, and NEXUS conferences. Peer-reviewed journal articles are the norm at IU IPE with our department contributing over 70 pieces of scholorship in 2024 (presentations and journals). Our director’s role as a contributing author to the WHO’s Winterthur-Doha Interprofessional Declaration reflects our leadership in shaping global standards for collaborative care.