AIPEC 2024
The All-Ireland Interprofessional Healthcare Challenge (AIPEC) Conference was held in Queen’s University Belfast on Friday 8 March 2024.
AIPEC is an intervarsity competition which gives an opportunity to students from a range of healthcare disciplines to collaborate on management strategy for a patient with complex care issues. Over 90 delegates attended the event, with representation from competing teams all over the island of Ireland, including University College Cork, University of Limerick, University of Galway, Ulster University, Trinity College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and University College Dublin.
Each university took part in sharing presentations on their approach to a patient care plan which focused on a woman living with cystic fibrosis, together with various health, social & psychological needs. At the event, teams showcased their management strategies to a panel of judges, who evaluated their teamwork and collaboration skills in optimising care for the patient.
The event was hosted by Dr Paul McCague (School of Pharmacy) and featured a welcome address from Professor Christine Brown Wilson (School of Nursing & Midwifery), a keynote presentation by Professor Gerry Gormley (School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences), and an address from a patient living with cystic fibrosis, Dr Clara Cassidy. The theme of international women’s day permeated proceedings including in the talks and patient case study.
Queen’s University students were crowned winners at the conclusion of the event. The winning team was made up of four students: Olivia Donnelly (Pharmacy), Rhian Dowding (Medicine), Caoimhe McCormick (Social Work), and Claudia Hayes (Nursing). University College Dublin were awarded second place with a team of five students: Alexa Mitroi (Medicine), Alrataj Alqallaf (Medicine), Jessica Barbulescu (Dietetics), Kingsley Roland-Onuoha (Biomedical Health, and Life Sciences), and Orla Mulloy (Physiotherapy).
The winning team was presented with a £1000 prize, generously donated by Chris Flannagan, Managing Director of Kyron Media. Other sponsors of the event included the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Sciences SWAN fund, and the Faculty Public Engagement fund.