The Office of Health Professional Education will update this page with information for trainees as it relates to the developing COVID-19 situation. Please review the following direction on the role and participation of learners in the context of our COVID-19 preparations, and inform teams as appropriate.
September 25, 2020
Relates to: All students types
HealthPartners Institute has implemented a process to resume student clinical rotations for the fall and beyond. Decisions to bring students back are being made at the local level. These decisions are made by ensuring a meaningful learning experience, considering space for social distance, obtaining leadership support and completion of a readiness survey. To ensure safe tracking of students, most departments are being asked to enroll in our student management system, SharedSpace4Learning. Programs currently using TCCP for student tracking will continue to utilize that platform.
- Schools with students accepted for a learning experience will need to participate in a 30 minute “getting started” session to enroll in SharedSpace4Learning
- Students accepted for a learning experience will need to create a profile and complete onboarding/compliance documentation in SharedSpce4Learning after your school has enrolled
Each student will receive a document with guidance for health information related to COVID-19 while training at HealthPartners through the SharedSpace4Learning platform.
Please contact Michelle.T.Noltimier@HealthPartners.com with questions.
June 18, 2020
Relates to: All students types
HealthPartners Institute continues to work with clinical departments on plans for resuming student clinical rotations. Reopening rotations is determined by local department’s readiness, adequate PPE and executive leadership approval. In late-June, we will pilot our processes with a group of medical students to evaluate use of appropriate PPE, employee health communications, and implementation of our student management system called Shared Space for Learning (SS4L). Additional pilots are under consideration for later this summer with other student types. In the meantime, we are gathering requests and data from internal HealthPartners departments to help us make decisions about the return of students in the fall. Read the full memo update provided to schools on June 18, 2020 here.
For questions, please contact Michelle Noltimier at michelle.t.noltimier@healthpartners.com
May 13, 2020
Relates to: Medical students & Advanced Practice Clinician students
Thanks to all of you who are patiently waiting for information on when HealthPartners might resume clinical rotations for all students across our health system. We have many dedicated colleagues who recognize how important this training is and are eager to find ways to safely bring students back into the clinical environment.
In order for students to safely return to the clinical setting we will need to be past peak COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths as determined by our HealthPartners’ Command Center. Once this is determined, our senior leaders will be assessing if local departments have adequate patient volumes, meaningful learning experiences and preceptor support to start phasing students back in to the clinical environment.
For these reasons, student clinical rotations will remain suspended beyond May 15.
Students may continue remote learning experiences if departments/preceptors are able to provide non-clinical opportunities such as independent study or projects outside of the clinical environment.
We will communicate any updates as soon as we learn more.
Please contact Michelle Noltimier, Director of APC Education, at Michelle.T.Noltimier@HealthPartners.Com with questions or inquiries.
April 15, 2020
Relates to: Clinical Simulation
To maintain social distancing, most clinical simulation courses have been cancelled until May 15, 2020.
Our team has been involved in discussions with simulationists around the country, learning how to adapt simulation education during the pandemic. We are exploring the technological component of virtual simulation as well as identifying how the methodology itself could transform in order to meet the needs of learners. Our team is still supporting essential training needs within the organization as the need arises.
April 8, 2020
Relates to: Medical students & Advanced Practice Clinician students
Student clinician rotations continue to be suspended through 5/15/20
We recognize this is disruptive to the students’ education. As we look to the summer and fall we will need to determine if any of these rotations can be rescheduled. We are also considering exploring opportunities to pilot new learning experiences using telehealth. Students may continue rotations if departments/preceptors are able to provide non-clinical opportunities such as independent study or projects outside of the clinical environment. Please contact Michelle Noltimier, Director of APC Education, at Michelle.T.Noltimier@HealthPartners.Com with questions or inquiries.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this fluid situation.
March 17, 2020
Relates to: Medical students & Advanced Practice Clinician students
Last week we announced that all student clinical rotations at HealthPartners would be cancelled starting 3/16/20. There will be no exceptions granted. This decision was not made lightly and was based on factors including:
- Prioritizing the health of our patients and care teams by conserving personal protective equipment and minimizing the number of team members involved in each patient’s care
- The inability to ensure safe and consistent educational experiences for learners in this evolving pandemic
We recognize this is disruptive to the students’ education and will continue to reassess the situation on 4/1/20. Students may continue rotations if departments/preceptors are able to provide non-clinical opportunities such as independent study or projects outside of the clinical environment.
Please contact Michelle Noltimier, Director of APC Education, at Michelle.T.Noltimier@HealthPartners.Com with questions or inquiries.
March 15, 2020
Relates to: Clinical Simulation
Based on new guidance from HealthPartners about education events, we are cancelling most clinical simulation courses for the next two weeks and will continue to evaluate the situation beyond that date. Contingency planning is underway.
March 12, 2020
Relates to: Residents and Fellows
Residents and fellows are essential members of the care team. They may provide care directly for patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 as part of the care team in both the inpatient and ambulatory setting with appropriate supervision.
Residents and COVID preventive and precautionary measures:
- Residents must understand how to use PPE and be safe using it prior to taking care of a case or a rule out. Their safety is our number one concern.
- Latest information and guidelines on the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is available on HealthPartners intranet site here: COVID-19 Preparedness (accessible while on the HealthPartners network). This health advisory includes information from CDC, as well as our local facility contacts if you have questions.
March 12, 2020
Relates to: Other learner types
For all other learners, we have determined that the risks and challenges outweigh the benefit of continuing clinical rotations. Beginning Monday, March 16, HealthPartners is canceling all student clinical rotations until further notice. This includes medical students, advanced practice students, nursing students and all other allied health professional students. We will revisit this decision on April 1.
The Institute will communicate with medical students and advanced practice students, and operational leaders should communicate with any other student type scheduled for their departments. Please contact the Institute if you would like a draft email for distribution.
If you have questions regarding the information relayed on this web page, contact Cecily Spencer.
Visit the HealthPartners website for more information on COVID-19.