WCCD, ACOM, Troy University Students Participate in Interprofessional Education Medical Simulation

A WCCD Associate Degree Nursing student and ACOM medical students interact with a standardized patient during an interprofessional education medical simulation held at WCCD in the Heersink Family Health Science Building’s Simulation Center.

Wallace Community College-Dothan (WCCD) hosted a day-long, joint Interprofessional Education (IPE) medical simulation session on Friday, February 7, 2025, in the Health Sciences Simulation Center located inside the Heersink Family Health Science Building on the Wallace Campus in Dothan. This simulation is part of an ongoing series of collaborative events between WCCD nursing students, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) medical students, and Troy University Dothan nursing and social work students.

The spring 2025 IPE session involved 57 WCCD associate degree nursing (ADN) students, 181 ACOM students, 45 Troy University nursing students, and 45 Troy University social work students.

During the session, students training to be doctors, registered nurses, and social workers collaborate from each institution to care for a standardized patient, with the goal of gaining a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities each profession has in patient care. The program is designed to underscore the value of team-based healthcare and promote collaborative teamwork and problem-solving. The role of the patient is played by trained simulated patients who work from a predetermined script during the simulation. The healthcare students work together to provide the best care and outcome for the patient. After the simulation, all participants, including the simulated patient, participate in a de-briefing which allows for feedback and learning.

“The Wallace Community College ADN program is glad to provide the environment to implement the interprofessional education scenarios,” said Dr. Jacqueline Spivey, WCCD ADN Division Director. “Our ADN students gain insight into interprofessional education activities as we share with our partners from Troy University and ACOM. This type of education helps to emphasize teamwork, communication, and mutual understanding among the different professions. The goal we hope to achieve is to build relationships among the professions and increase understanding of how to coordinate care across the disciplines effectively.”

This event, originally developed through a grant from the Macy Foundation in coordination with Drexel University in 2017, hopes to improve relationships among different healthcare providers, providing insight into how they function together to provide the best care for patients. The IEP simulation takes place twice a year, with ACOM hosting the event in the fall and WCCD in the spring.