Center for Interprofessional Education, Research and Practice (IPERP)

Gulf Medical University has recently established a Center for Interprofessional Education, Research and Practice (IPERP) with the purpose of fostering interprofessional education and collaborative research and practice. The Center is well positioned to work in collaboration with different Colleges and Institutes within Gulf Medical University and Thumbay healthcare institutions in its Academic Health System. The Center is also well connected with national and international institutions to promote interprofessional education, research and practice. Being a role model in the region, the GMU Academic Health System drives positive changes in health professions education, research and practice in order to best serve the community in Ajman and UAE.

To be a leading center of excellence in interprofessional education, research, and practice in the Middle East region for sustainable community development and a resource for other universities in the region.

To advance patient-centred collaborative healthcare practice in UAE through integration of interprofessional education, research and practice in order to provide the highest quality of health professions education and patient care.

• Establish integrated educational model promoting inter-professional competencies in undergraduate health profession curricula.
• Reduce barriers between health professions student groups through early implementation of inter professional education.
• Improve collaboration between healthcare professionals to provide the highest quality of patient care.
• Develop a generation of competent clinical leaders who will play a pivotal role in improving patient care through interprofessional collaborative practice.
• Utilize interprofessional research for sustainable community development.

• Lockeman, K., Thomas, D., Dow, A., Willson, M., Sridhar, S. and Zorek, J.A., 2022. I2C2: An international interprofessional clinical case competition for health professions students. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 29, p.100548. [link]
• Donnelly, F., Gordon, S., Lawn, S., Schoo, A., Thomas, J. and White, K., 2023. Guarded reciprocity: A study of managers expectations of graduates interprofessional practice (IPP) skills and knowledge. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 31, p.100620. [link]
• Thomas, D., Maas, M., Babu, T. and Cooper, J., 2022. The neuron model: An educational tool for evidence-based practice and interprofessional care. Pharmacy Education, 22(1), pp.424-427. [link]
• Thomas, D., Zachariah, S., Baker, D., Cooper, J., Sreedharan, J. and Khalifa, S., 2022. Impact of educational intervention in evidence-based drug information in interprofessional practice at a tertiary-level care hospital. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 27, p.100496. [link]
• Gillani, S.W., Azhar, A., Shadab, A. and Gulam, S.M., 2022. Perceptions and barriers of health-care professionals to develop and implement interprofessional education in UAE: A qualitative study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 11. [link]
• Mukhtar, M., Thomas, D., Mohiuddin, G.S., Hiselius, J., & Burton, A. Effectiveness of Clinical Pharmacist Collaborative Care in Resolution of Antibiotic Drug-Related Problems in an Intensive Care Unit. The Internet Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2020; 18(1): 1-7. [link]
• Thomas, D., Cooper, J., & Maas, M. (2020). Neuron Model of Interprofessional Education and Evidence-Based Practice. INNOVATIONS in pharmacy, 11(3), 15-15. [link]
• Al-Salloum J, Thomas D, AlAni G, Singh B. Interprofessional Care of Emergency Department Doctors and Pharmacists: Crossing a Collaboration Chasm. Inov Pharm [Internet]. 2020 Jun 9. [link]
• Khan, N.S., Shahnaz, S.I., Gomathi, K.G. Currently available tools and teaching strategies for the interprofessional education of students in health professions: Literature review. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. (2016) [link]