Article ID: e09004
The School of Pharmacy at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences aims to cultivate “pharmaceutical professionals contributing to healthcare” in its educational and research mission. Approximately 80% of its graduates work as pharmacists and are actively engaged in healthcare. In response to the increasing complexity and advancement of medical practice, team-based healthcare has been promoted to ensure high-quality, safe medical care. The 2022 revision of the Model Core Curriculum for Pharmacy Education identified interprofessional collaboration skills as a fundamental competency. Since 2015, the university has collaborated with Tokyo Medical University to implement interprofessional education (IPE). The IPE program targets early-year students in short, practical sessions utilizing simulated patients (SPs). SPs are recruited from community volunteers to participate in training sessions, such as scenario-based workshops, before engaging in the program. Beyond IPE, SPs also engage in other practical training to enable students to experience medical communication and foster self-awareness. This paper reports on the implementation of IPE at the university, the management of the SP study groups, and the training of simulated patients.
