Over the past academic year, the LA AETC developed and instituted an HIV Inter-Professional Education Program (HIV IPE) in conjunction with the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, the USC School of Pharmacy, and the Chares Drew University Mervyn Dymally School of Nursing.
The goals of this project are to increase IPE competencies and to interest students in seeking HIV-focused professional certifications and providing HIV care upon graduation. The HIV IPE project has been successful in enhancing the HIV curricula in all three schools and significantly increasing the IPE curriculum at Charles Drew University. The centerpiece of the HIV IPE is practicum experience, during which teams of one UCLA medical student, one USC pharmacy student and one CDU family nurse practitioner student meet together in an HIV specialty clinic with a mentor to see patients and learn about providing state-of-the-art HIV care. From 2/13/17 to 4/14/17 the Los Angeles HIV IPE ‘graduated’ 16 practicum students. At this time, we know that three CDU family nurse practitioner graduates are actively seeking HIV specialty care positions (staff of the LA HIV IPE are assisting in their search with local HIV clinics) and one Spanish-speaking medical student has committed to implement PrEP services in his residency program as well as providing HIV care during and after his residency.