Oklahoma State University: OSU-COM Partners With NSUOCO For Interprofessional Education Opportunity

Press release from Oklahoma State University:

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Media Contact:
Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Northeastern
State University Oklahoma College of Optometry have partnered together for interprofessional
education opportunities.

OSU-COM in Tulsa and the OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation location in Tahlequah recently
hosted NSUOCO for joint lectures and hands-on training.

Faculty, residents and fourth-year students from NSUOCO assisted OSU medical students
and physician assistant students in learning the basics of an eye exam including exam
techniques, proper equipment utilization and triaging patients with ocular complaints.

“NSUOCO is very excited to have this opportunity for cross-disciplinary cooperation.
It is a great chance for the students and faculty of each program to increase their
knowledge of different sub-specialties,” said Dr. Jeff Miller, assistant dean for
Academic Affairs at NSU Oklahoma College of Optometry.

Kelsi Batioja was one of the OSU medical students who took part in the interprofessional
education event with NSUOCO on Sept. 30.

“I think it’s really great. They spend all their time studying the eye,” said Batioja,
a second-year medical student at OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation. “The hands-on learning
helps me and they’re great about explaining things to me. It’s nice interacting with
people from other fields.”

For the NSUOCO students, faculty and staff, the partnership gives them the chance
to work with future physicians and reinforce the techniques and knowledge they’ve
learned by teaching it to others.

“I think it’s a great way to learn from each other and meet each other. Make those
connections and learn more about what the other profession does,” said Sarah Melinders,
a fourth-year NSUOCO student.

For both NSUOCO and OSU-COM students, the partnership is an opportunity to learn alongside
other health care professionals and students for the good of Oklahoma patients, said
Dr. Nicole Farrar, chair of the Interprofessional Education Committee and interim
chair of the Department of Medical Education.

In the past, training programs didn’t normally introduce students to other health
care professions as part of their education, Farrar said. It wasn’t until after they
started practicing medicine that they learned of other professions and their expertise,
possibly missing opportunities to consult on cases at the detriment of patients.

“The partnership with NSUOCO introduces our students to another resource in their
future practice,” she said. “As we work to meet the health care needs of rural and
underserved Oklahoma, our students need to expand their view of how to improve that
care. If our students are aware that these other professions are available to meet
patients’ needs they are more likely to reach out and make those referrals.”

This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.