CIHC 2024 framework
听
The IPE curriculum is grounded in evidence-based practices and shaped by the Competency Framework for Advancing Collaboration developed by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC, 2024). This framework identifies six interrelated competency domains that support the development of the attitudes, behaviours, values, and judgments essential for effective interprofessional collaboration.
At its foundation, the framework emphasizes Relationship-Focused Care/Services and Team Communication. These two domains promote inclusive, trusting partnerships with individuals receiving care, their care partners, and interprofessional team members. They also encourage clear, respectful, and responsive communication, using accessible language and active listening to support shared understanding and collaborative decision-making.
Building on this foundation, the framework further develops competencies in Role Clarification and Negotiation, which involves understanding and negotiating one鈥檚 own role and the roles of others鈥攊ncluding patients and their families鈥攖o meet common care goals. Team Functioning addresses the importance of creating a collaborative team environment characterized by shared accountability, psychological safety, and inclusive participation. The ability to manage Team Differences and Disagreements constructively is also emphasized, supporting respectful engagement with diverse perspectives and the resolution of conflict to maintain team cohesion. Lastly, Collaborative Leadership highlights the importance of shared decision-making, distributed leadership, and collective responsibility in achieving optimal outcomes for individuals and communities.
Together, these domains form a developmental framework for interprofessional collaboration, recognizing that learning is cumulative and evolves across the span of professional practice.
Contextual Considerations
The 2024 framework also acknowledges that the application of these competencies is shaped by broader contextual factors. These include a commitment to Inclusion, Access, and Equity, the ability to navigate Complexity in health and social systems, and the need to adapt to diverse Care and Service Settings. These considerations ensure that collaborative practice remains responsive, equitable, and relevant across varying clinical and community environments.
Integration Within the IPE Curriculum
The IPE curriculum integrates these competencies into course design, learning activities, and assessment strategies. Instructional approaches such as case-based learning, collaborative decision-making, and team-based reflection are used to develop and apply these competencies in meaningful, practice-oriented ways. Realistic case-based videos, enacted by standardized actors and professionals, are incorporated to prompt student analysis, reflection, and interprofessional dialogue.
Learning is reinforced through structured debriefings facilitated by trained faculty and clinicians from diverse professional backgrounds. These sessions support critical reflection and help students internalize key aspects of collaborative practice. To ensure consistency and evidence-informed delivery, the Office of Interprofessional Education (OIPE) offers faculty development programs that align with the CIHC framework and promote best practices in interprofessional education across both academic and clinical contexts.