With an ongoing commitment to patient and public involvement in health professional education, UBC Health is contributing to the PULPIT Consortium (Public & Patient Involvement in Interprofessional Education of Health Care Undergraduate Students). This innovative initiative has brought together 10 institutions across five countries to develop international guidelines and educational resources to promote patient and public involvement in interprofessional education of health care students.

About the PULPIT Consortium

A three-year project funded by the European Union, PULPIT brings together a diverse group of researchers, healthcare professionals, and community partners with the shared goal of promoting public and patient involvement (PPI) in the interprofessional education of healthcare students. The project aims to address the challenge of limited early student interaction with patients and inadequate understanding of patient-centred care and healthcare roles.

By implementing an educational module that will be freely accessible through a dedicated online platform, along with recommendations for PPI in the education of healthcare students, the consortium is making significant strides in transforming healthcare education. This approach is rooted in the principles of the ‘Vancouver Statement’ and leverages the foundational work of the ‘Health Mentors Program’, coordinated by UBC Health’s Patient and Community Partnership for Education (PCPE), as well as the ‘Patient as a Person’ project developed by Maastricht University and the Patient as a Person Foundation. This program, alongside UBC Health's other initiatives, enriches students’ understanding of interprofessional collaboration and patient involvement, which are key principles driving the PULPIT Project.

The role of UBC Health

UBC Health is supporting the PULPIT project by leveraging its established networks and fostering connections between academic experts and real-world healthcare needs. As an example, the Interprofessional Health Mentors Program enables students from various health disciplines such as Audiology, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, and others, to learn from and with mentors who have chronic conditions, disabilities, or caregiving experience. This nine-month, self-directed program places patients as primary educators, giving students a unique perspective on patient-centred care. Learn more about the Health Mentors Program.

“The PULPIT Project represents a transformative approach to practice-oriented research. Most universities and educational institutions in Europe are not used to bringing patients into the classroom like UBC and other Canadian universities have been doing for a long time,” says Dr Ricardo Ferreira, the Principal Investigator of the project. “UBC Health’s support has been instrumental in creating the collaborative environment necessary for success, where we can move promising findings from theory into practice, ultimately impacting patient care.”

This project aligns with UBC Health’s commitment to fostering partnerships that push the boundaries of healthcare innovation, emphasizing the importance of integrating research and patient voices in the healthcare education, as well as the operational fabric of public health initiatives.