Following the biggest Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition in its history, the winning team has been decided. Congratulations go to team 14, whose members took the top spot in the 2024 national competition after being awarded the most points out of 23 outstanding interprofessional competitors.

The case competition is intended to help students develop competencies in geriatric interprofessional practice. The team approach to care is a hallmark of care in the fields of geriatrics and gerontology, providing the best outcomes for older patients and their care partners. The decision to go national with the case competition came about due to a desire to build inclusivity and encourage participation beyond the borders of Minnesota.

The winning team was coached by Fang (Alice) Lei, PhD, MSN, MPH, RN, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Participants of this interprofessional team were University of Minnesota students Ariella Awudu (undergrad psychology major), Harsheen Batra (public health, healthcare administration), Lindsay Craig (nursing, advanced practice RN), Tara Jorgenson (dietetics), Nathan Lim (physical therapy), and Bradyn Almasy from A.T. Still University (dentistry).
 

We also congratulate the other top-scoring teams in the Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition. As runner up in the competition, team 18 was coached by Jenna Herman, University of Minnesota, and included the following student team members: Frances Abanonu, University of Minnesota; Hung-I Wan, University of Minnesota; Meagan Stahl, University of Minnesota; Ali Kresse, University of Minnesota; and Chelsea Mastagni, University of Minnesota.

In third place, team 9 was coached by Emily Lesser, University of Minnesota, and included students Eesha Endurthy, University of Minnesota; Rebecca Larson, University of Minnesota; Carly Lindberg, University of Minnesota; Landon Ellingson, University of Minnesota; Sam Theesfeld, University of Minnesota; and Suhana Singh, Nova Southeastern University.

In fourth place, team 11 was coached by Jill FitzGerald, St. Louis University, and included students Batoul Mohamed, University of Minnesota; Erin Powell, University of Minnesota; Alexi Wiessinger, University of Minnesota; Mary Juelich, University of Minnesota; and Nathan Shimamoto, University of Minnesota.

And in fifth place, team 22 was coached by Tenzin Namdul, University of Minnesota, and included students Erica Huang, AT Still University; Brittany Anderson, University of Minnesota; Kathleen Gurin, University of Minnesota; Cody Thao, University of Minnesota; and Rene Perez, Nova Southeastern University.

The case competition goes national

For the first time in its 10-year history, the geriatric case competition, hosted by the University of Minnesota (UMN), included upper-level undergraduate and graduate students from several universities across the nation. In addition to UMN, these universities included University of St. Thomas, Saint Louis University, A.T. Still University, Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, the University of North Dakota, Nova Southeastern University, the University of Louisville, and the University of Southern Indiana.

"We were excited to expand the competition to include nine universities from seven different states,” said MN Northstar GWEP Co-Director Kris Talley, PhD, CNP, RN, FGSA. “This allowed us to create a unique opportunity for students to collaborate with health professional students from multiple disciplines from around the nation."  

Talley continued: “The competition was truly interprofessional. Students from over 15 different disciplines indicated their favorite part of the competition was being able to work with and learn about the roles of other disciplines. It is my hope that this experience will encourage future healthcare workers to choose working with older adults so we can improve their health."

An interprofessional group of coaches and judges lent their expertise

The students were formed into interprofessional teams in which they created a plan of care for a fictitious older adult patient. Each team was assigned a coach who assisted with locating resources or answering questions. The coaches and judges represented various disciplines.

Breakdown of student disciplines

Participating coach and judge professions

In late October, the teams presented their care plan to the judges, comprising an interprofessional panel of faculty and community members holding positions such as physician, social worker, physical therapist, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, occupational therapist, and healthcare administrative professional. The judges assessed the quality and depth of each team’s plan, use of disciplines, and innovative ideas used to meet the needs of the patient and family. A detailed rubric was used for scoring to ensure reliability.

“As a coach in the geriatric case competition, my role was to guide and empower students to collaborate across disciplines and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges in geriatric care,” said Fang Lei, PhD, MSN, MPH, RN, an assistant professor in the UMN School of Nursing. “This year's competition was especially unique, as it pushed the boundaries of interdisciplinary teamwork and required innovative thinking in addressing complex issues facing older adults. The experience is invaluable, not only for the students but for all participants, as it fosters a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of healthcare and the importance of working together to improve outcomes for vulnerable geriatric populations.”

Lei continued: "Serving as a coach was an incredibly rewarding experience for me. Watching students from diverse fields come together to tackle a critical complex issue in geriatric care reinforced the power of collaboration and gave me the opportunity to witness their potential and growth firsthand. It was inspiring to see students develop new insights, refine their problem-solving skills, and gain confidence as future leaders in healthcare. Through this competition, students not only gained practical experience in interdisciplinary teamwork but also enhanced their ability to think critically and creatively under pressure, preparing them for the complex challenges they will face in their professional careers.”

Many competition judges expressed praise of the submitted presentations for the solid understanding of the 4Ms Framework and the relationship of the 4Ms to one another. When referring to the assembly of the fictitious patient’s care team, “each professional’s role was clearly articulated, demonstrating a strong understanding of interpersonal dynamics.”

One judge acknowledged being impressed by how one team “repeatedly referred to Katherine (the patient) and her family as being at the center of the care team.” Other judges’ comments spoke to the overall effectiveness of the teams’ approaches: “If I was the patient, I would want you all as my care team! Will you take care of me when I get older, please? Excellent job!”

A uniquely complex geriatric case

Students dealt with one of the most complex cases yet created for the case competition. Their fictitious geriatric patient, who resided in a rural area, presented with geriatric syndromes and complexities including frailty, polypharmacy, falls, incontinence, depression, and nutrition concerns.

When putting together their care plan, students needed to take into account complicated factors such as their patient’s access to healthcare, food, and socialization. Family dynamics also came into play: suicidal ideation, family caregiver involvement, and caregiver fatigue. This case was highly complex, and we are impressed by the multitude of fantastic presentations that were submitted. Each team took a different approach and showed the importance of creative collaboration in finding the way to best meet the needs of this complex patient.

Students gain valuable experience in interprofessional teams

As the participating students prepare to begin their careers in their respective fields, they will take with them real-world skills and experience gained through the case competition. Over the past several weeks, students learned how to integrate interprofessional collaboration into daily practice while communicating across disciplines.

Learning about geriatric care best practices will serve them well after graduation. Students became familiar with devising a plan of care with a holistic approach—looking at all aspects of a patient—while being sure to center the patient. Also important, the students who participated in the case competition became acquainted with common challenges in geriatric care, such as limited resources and conflicting care priorities, and gained skills for combating those challenges.

Through the annual geriatric case competition, students from multiple disciplines and universities are being prepared to care for older adult patients. Skills in geriatric healthcare and interdisciplinary collaboration are increasingly important as our population continues to see a higher number of older adults with complex healthcare needs.

Learn more about the Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition.