Interprofessional Passport Program: Digital Badging and Competency Based Education

Many educational programs have moved to a competency-based model. Having a means to track competency development and attainment is needed. The Office of Interprofessional Curriculum (OIPC) has developed and implemented an interprofessional (IP) digital badging and passport system to track attainment of IPEC Competencies across curricula. The program was designed to provide learners with evidence of their experience and knowledge gained upon graduation and to recognize achievement. The purpose of the IP passport and badging system is to encourage students to engage in and document their interprofessional learning activities and attain a record of IPEC competency development.Implementation: Working with our campus technology team, an integrated badging software solution was identified that articulated with the learning platform utilized at our institution. Badges were built with key data embedded, and designed with graphic representation of each activity. Students were issued digital badges after completing each activity using a QR code.Evaluation plan: 4884 badges have been issued since implementing the digital badging system. A PDSA cycle of quality improvement was used to assess the system. Implementation challenges included students not understanding how to claim the badges. This was addressed through improved communication about badge availability and steps for claiming. Evaluation has resulted in badges automatically being issued rather than students being required to claim them. Faculty are increasingly using the badge system to verify students have completed required Interprofessional activities.Outcome(s) and significance: Digital badging is an easy way to track student’s participation in interprofessional education activities. Each badge indicates which competencies students have obtained and can ensure students have essential knowledge and skills before graduation. Even though each health professional program has a different way of engaging their students in interprofessional activities, the digital badging program can easily document activities completed. An interprofessional badging and passport program saves administrators and faculty time and streamlines interprofessional engagement.