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Huskies benefit from interdisciplinary instruction

July 12, 2021

Interdisciplinary instruction and exploration fosters a student’s ability to think critically and tolerate ambiguity.  The School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders (AHCD), with its graduate programs in audiology, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology, is well suited for these learning opportunities.

“Interdisciplinary instruction provide students opportunities to learn from and with each other,” said Sherrill Morris, AHCD chair. “It broadens their understanding of their own scope of practice as well as the professions they will likely work with after graduation.”

Morris said that the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced student interactions with each other and with the Wellness and Literacy building’s state-of-the-art equipment. So in late June, AHCD hosted an interdisciplinary screening event where students gained assessment practice as they screened the hearing, speech, language, and movement of students outside their discipline.

“By being screened, students became aware of another discipline’s scope of practice and the process their patients and clients will go through when referred,” Morris said. “In turn, exposing students to other disciplines can increase confidence in their own skills and ultimately improve the quality of care patients receive, since appropriate referrals will be made.”

Learn more about NIU’s School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders.