A proof of concept for community-based IPE: implementation and five-year outcomes of an innovative Interprofessional Internship.
PROBLEM Interprofessional collaboration is essential in today's healthcare environment. As such, preparing the next generation to confidently and sustainably enter the workforce is increasingly urgent. Experiential interprofessional education (IPE) interventions are particularly effective in bridging the gap between classroom learning and practical application. Community-based education further enriches these outcomes by immersing students in real-world environments that emphasize patient-centered care and responsiveness to community needs. However, IPE remains challenging to design and deliver in the clinical learning environment. APPROACH The purpose of this report is to describe the design, implementation, and five-year outcomes of the Interprofessional Internship as a proof of concept for high-quality, community-based IPE, delivered from September 2020 to May 2025 through the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The model incorporates health profession intern teams carefully matched with community partner projects in areas such as quality improvement, community engagement, and organizational change, as well as professional development experiences designed to further advance interns' interprofessional competency. OUTCOMES The Interprofessional Internship has completed 36 projects with 19 community organizations and involved 69 students from 24 academic programs. In line with internship goals, interns reported increased confidence in interprofessional competencies, corroborated by peer assessments, and outcomes demonstrate community partner engagement and their ability to advance their work through high-impact projects addressing health needs across the state. NEXT STEPS This innovative Interprofessional Internship offers a tangible, replicable model of training that integrates IPE into community-based experiential education while yielding meaningful community outcomes. Future pursuits beyond for-credit offerings include, but are not limited to, multi-partner community-based project design, longitudinal connections to geographically- or organizationally aligned learner teams with on-site experiential rotations, and integration of patients and communities in project work.