From Classroom to Practice: Building Better Health Care Teams

In this episode of Advancing Health Care Through Simulation, host Lisa George sits down with Sharla King, professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta and Program Director for the Master of Health Sciences Education program. With more than 20 years of experience in interprofessional education (IPE), Sharla shares her journey into the field, her leadership in collaborative practice, and her ongoing work shaping how health professionals learn to work together effectively. The conversation explores the evolution of interprofessional education from early classroom-based models to more integrated, experience-based learning that spans simulation and real-world clinical environments. Key themes in this episode include: - how interprofessional education often begins with curiosity and grows into a lifelong focus - the importance of building a “community of practice” across institutions and disciplines - why resistance to IPE often stems from a lack of understanding, not opposition - practical strategies for integrating collaboration into already full curricula - the shift toward embedding interprofessional learning across the full continuum from classroom to simulation to clinical practice - insights from research on assessing interprofessional competencies during clinical placements - the importance of clarity in expectations between students, educators, and preceptors - simple but powerful collaboration skills like perspective-taking, communication, and relationship-building - how curiosity and collaboration are the best entry points into research - the growing importance of educator identity and professional development in health education This episode reinforces a simple but powerful idea: better collaboration in education leads to better collaboration in practice and ultimately, better patient care. About: NAIT Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation – Visit here This series was produced by Road 55 in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn more at: road55.ca