Bryn Athyn Student Present at All Together Better Health VI (ATBH) Conference in Japan

PHILADELPHIA, PA (11/05/2012)(readMedia)-- Susan Toth-Cohen, PhD, OTR/L, a professor at Thomas Jefferson University's Jefferson School of Health Professions (JSHP), and Annalisa Synnestvedt, an occupational therapy student at JSHP, presented at the All Together Better Health (ATBH) VI Conference in Japan. Their presentation, "Engaging Students in Interprofessional Collaboration: A U.S.-Japan Exchange," discussed JSHP and Kitasato University's exchange program, the collaborative efforts of the two groups of students and highlights from the students' perspectives.

"The conference was great," said Toth-Cohen. "The range and depth of topics and speaker expertise were extensive. Best of all, the keynotes, workshops and posters fit perfectly with JSHP's current focus and future plans for interprofessional education (IPE). I'm so pleased that I could bring back so much useful information that will enhance IPE at Jefferson, especially in regard to evaluating outcomes of IPE."

During the conference Synnestvedt was a member of one of the winning teams in the ATBH Healthcare Challenge, in which students developed a plan of care based on a case and presented it to a panel of experienced professionals. Synnestvedt's team included members from all over the world, including New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia.

"The healthcare team challenge was a great way to engage students in IPE," said Synnestvedt. "It was neat to see how students navigated challenges and found ways to collaborate across our professions and cultures. I especially liked seeing how teams worked together to present a cohesive plan of care, demonstrate client-centered teamwork and communicate effectively with each other and with the audience."

Toth-Cohen and Synnestvedt wrote about their experience at the ATBH Conference on their blog http://jshpjapan.blogspot.jp/. The conference took place from October 5-8, at Kobe Gakuin University in Kobe, Japan. It was the sixth international conference for interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

About Thomas Jefferson University

Jefferson School of Health Professions is part of Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), the largest free standing academic medical center in Philadelphia and nationally renowned for medical and health sciences education and innovative research. Founded in 1824, TJU also includes Jefferson Medical College (JMC), the Jefferson Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Population Health and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. In 1936, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital became one of the first institutions to offer an accredited program in radiologic technology. Thomas Jefferson University partners with its clinical affiliate, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals.

About ATBH

The All Together Better Health conferences are the leading international interprofessional education and collaborative practice conferences. The All Together Better Health conferences are supported by InterEd, the international association for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice - a not-for-profit association. The fifth conference in the series was held in Australia in April 2010 and was hosted by Australasian Interprofessional Practice and Education Network (AIPPEN).