A longitudinal two-year chronic illness mentor program for nursing, medical, and occupational and physical therapy students was developed by interprofessional group of faculty from Thomas Jefferson University, including the Jefferson Nursing School, the Jefferson Medical College and the Jefferson College of Health Professions [physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT)]. The chronic illness curriculum, which was approved by the curriculum committees of all four disciplines, officially began September 2007.

Two medical students and one or two nursing, PT or OT students were paired with a person who has one or more chronic illness (i.e. the 'mentor'). Over the course of two years, this team of students will visit their mentor eight times, with each visit focusing on specific curricular goals. Specific measures and outcomes were developed for each visit, which are required components of all students' curricula.

Assessment methodology includes small group meetings with faculty members and reflection papers. For example, student teams will obtain a health history of their mentor and will complete health history forms used in each of their respective curricula. Reflective papers of their mentor interactions are required. Participation in a faculty facilitated small group discussion reviewing and reflecting on the experience is included after each interaction with the mentors.

The one-hour orientation for the program was attended by approximately 460 students (half in a morning session and half in an afternoon session). Students were provided with the number of their "team" and sat in assigned areas in a large lecture hall, thus meeting their student partners for the first time. The orientation included an overview of the goals and objectives of interprofessional education, chronic illness focus, and the use of mentors. A video clip of a person with a chronic illness and her perceptions was presented. In addition, roles and responsibilities of the students and the mentors were discussed. Students were then provided time to talk to their team members who they will work with for the next two years.

Each student was asked to complete the question, "what do you plan to learn from this experience?" At a later date, each student team was provided with the name and contact information of their mentor. One student on the team contacted the mentor to set up the time and place of their first meeting. The first meeting was a get to know session (life history).

Subsequent meeting topics include the health history, health care system issues, and expectations of mentor toward health care providers. Toward the end of the first year, an interprofessional seminar for all student teams will be conducted. Evaluation data will be collected over the two year program. In addition to the reflection papers and process evaluation, each student initially and at the end of the program, will complete a chronic illness perceptions survey and an interprofessional attitudes survey.

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