On April 30, 2025, College of Health Sciences, Gulf Medical University successfully conducted Phase III of its Interprofessional Education (IPE) initiative, with a comprehensive session on “Management of a Total Knee Replacement Surgery Patient.” The event brought together students from three key disciplines—Physiotherapy, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Anaesthesia Technology—to engage in collaborative clinical learning.
The IPE session involved final-year Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) students Ms. Khawla Hussain Abdulrahim Abulhassan (2021PT22) and Ms. Mehak Gulati (2021PT09), who partnered with Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) students Ms. Srija Manimaran (2021ML06) and Ms. Miftha Hul Jannat (2021ML17), and Anaesthesia Technology (AT) students Mr. Ebrahim Ghassan Ahmed Al-Fakih (2022AT22) and Mr. Mohammad Yaghoub Noosh Azar (2022AT07).
As part of the activity, the students collaboratively managed a patient admitted for knee surgery at Thumbay University Hospital, participating in all stages of care—pre-operative, peri-operative, and post-operative. They engaged directly with the patient and later shared their discipline-specific findings, strategies, and reflections in a formal presentation setting.
The entire initiative was coordinated and supervised by Dr. Sathees Kumar – Assistant Professor – BPT along with; Ms. Neda Mohammad Yousef Pour – Clinical Preceptor – BPT; Mr. Nithin Mammazhiyil Raj – Tutor – AT; Mr. Kiran Sasilekha Gopinath – Lecturer – MLS; Mr. Mohammed Fares – Clinical Preceptor – MLS.
Speaking about the session, Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, remarked: “This Interprofessional Education initiative reflects our commitment to producing healthcare professionals who are not only technically competent but also capable of working collaboratively to provide holistic, patient-centered care. The enthusiasm and dedication shown by our students and faculty in this exercise truly showcase the spirit of teamwork and integrated clinical practice that modern healthcare demands.”
Students from all three programs shared their reflections:
Ms. Srija Manimaran – 2021ML06 (BSc. MLS) said:
“This IPE session helped me understand the bigger picture of healthcare. It wasn’t just about running tests—it was about being a part of something larger, where every person’s contribution matters.”
Mr. Ebrahim Ghassan Ahmed – 2022AT22 (BSc. AT) shared:
“Understanding the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration made us value shared ethics and social responsibility in a patient’s care as a whole. Suddenly, it wasn’t only about our roles in the OR- it was about a harmonious collaborative work around the common goal of optimizing the patient’s wellness”.”
Ms. Mehak Gulati – 2021PT09 (BPT) reflected:
“This session strengthened my role as a team player in the healthcare system and reminded me that patient care is most effective when built on trust and teamwork.”
The event drew attention and appreciation from faculty members and students across multiple colleges at CoHS, GMU, reinforcing the importance of interprofessional communication, clinical reasoning, and shared responsibility in achieving better healthcare outcomes.