A new collaboration between the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the WVU Health Sciences Center Office of Interprofessional Education is giving Bachelor of Social Work students an opportunity to join future doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals in active learning and simulation activities, underscoring the vital role social workers play in patient care.
Senior BSW students in the School of Social Work are participating in the “IPE 101 Sessions” hosted by the HSC Office of IPE throughout the academic year. These sessions, which now bring together more than 600 students from 17 different disciplines, immerse participants in realistic, skills-based learning activities designed to promote the core competencies of interprofessional education including teamwork, communication, professional roles and responsibilities, and ethical practice.
“Our new accreditation standards call on social workers to be proactive members of health care teams,” explained Megan Gandy, associate professor of social work and BSW program director. “By embedding these sessions into Social Work 345, we’re giving our students real-world collaboration skills. They learn to articulate their role, educate others about their profession, and discover why their input matters for better patient outcomes.”
IPE 101 Sessions prompt students to participate in simulations, reflective debriefings, and team-based activities that mirror the realities of health care environments. By integrating social workers into interprofessional teams early and often, the partnership illustrates the power of collaboration in building a health care workforce that’s truly prepared to serve the patient outside of a diagnosis and treatment plan.
“My biggest takeaway from this experience is that it is incredibly important to communicate within a team,” said BSW student Ken Bishop. “If one person on the team has a concern or even some doubt, the patient may have the same feelings and will ask those questions. That is why working as a team is better than one person by themself.”
Social workers in health care often juggle a diverse range of responsibilities like case management, patient advocacy, financial planning, discharge support, and translating clinical language for patients and families. Having them at the table alongside future clinicians helps illustrate how social determinants of health — housing, transportation and financial stability, among others — can significantly affect patient outcomes.
“Social workers are like the glue that brings all of the disciplines together because we focus on a whole human, person-first perspective,” said one BSW student Leah Peck. “Patient health is certainly not restricted to treating one ailment — especially if they don’t have a home to rest in, transportation, or money for a pharmacy.”
As the School of Social Work continues to partner with the Health Sciences Office of IPE, faculty said they hope to see more collaborative opportunities and even greater student participation from all disciplines. The ultimate goal is to ensure that graduates from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work and other fields enter the workforce ready to partner effectively, leading to more holistic, patient-centered care.
“Social workers weave through many areas of patient care,” Gandy said. “They’re the ones assessing home environments, navigating financial resources and engaging family members. It’s exciting to see our social work seniors and their peers in health care programs learn how to work together effectively before they begin their careers.”