Transforming learning for tomorrow’s health professional

Interprofessional education (IPE) integrates teaching and learning across the UW's six health sciences schools. The goal is to transform the curriculum, re-imagine classroom facilities, and reshape pedagogical approaches to health sciences training, education and research. The initiative is spearheaded by the UW Board of Health Sciences Deans, representing dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health and social work. This innovative collaboration supports a cross-discipline, team-based learning experience for all health sciences students.

A new Health Sciences Education Building 

The UW was allocated $58 million from the Washington State Legislature this spring to construct a modern, centrally located Health Sciences Education Building that will be shared among the six health sciences schools. One of just a few buildings nationwide created to intentionally foster collaborative teaching and learning, when completed the five-story building will catapult the UW health science schools to the forefront of interprofessional education.

The Health Sciences Education Building will give social work students access to 98,000 gross square feet of classroom space. Groundbreaking took place on August 27, 2020 with the building to open two years later.

The Miller Hull Partnership, a Seattle-based architectural firm, will design the building to incorporate flexible learning spaces, leverage modern technologies, and generate an array of environments that can adapt to changing pedagogical needs. The design will be informed by three guiding principles: Build a diverse community; attract students and faculty from around the world; encourage collaborations that improve health outcomes. 

This innovative building design will accommodate cross-disciplinary learning that reinforces the key tenets of interprofessional education for health sciences students:

  • Be innovative
  • Ask big questions
  • Take a holistic approach
  • Work as a team 

Illustration: The Miller Hull Partnership