A Model for Interprofessional Learning: Dance and Physical Therapy Students’ Collaboration on Classes for People with Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Recognizing a specific need in rural Michigan for increased exercise-based opportunities for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), faculty and students created a dance class in partnership with a local community organization. The following article details a model for developing and facilitating a community class that simultaneously serves an underserved population and enables a platform for interprofessional learning for university students. The interprofessional structure allows students and faculty from varying disciplines, in this case dance and physical therapy, to share knowledge and resources that in turn provide a richer and safer experience for the population being served.