Anthrop 5505: Wicked Science

Ohio State Interprofessional Practice and Education Experience


Title of the Interprofessional Practice and Education Experience

Anthrop 5505: Wicked Science


Experience Status

Approved


Approval Date Range

8/2/2023 - 3/9/2026


Criteria for Registering the IPE Experience

  • Involvement of learners from two or more professions, disciplines, degree programs, and/or community sectors.
  • Learning objectives are directly related to one or more of Ohio State’s interprofessional collaborative practice competencies (Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice, Roles/Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams & Teamwork, Collaborative Leadership, Evidence-based Practice).
  • Learners actively learn about, from, and with each other, to improve health and healthcare outcomes for individuals, populations, and/or communities.
  • Significant interactivity between participants.
  • Learner performance next to at least one objective related to Ohio State’s interprofessional collaborative practice competencies is assessed, and learners are provided feedback.

Type of IPE Experience

  • Discussion
  • Semester Course

IPEC Core Competencies Targeted by this IPE Experience

  • Teams and Teamwork: Apply values and principles of the science of teamwork to adapt one's own role in a variety of team settings.
  • Roles and Responsibilities: Use the knowledge of one’s own role and team members’ expertise to address individual and population health outcomes.

Quintuple Aim Strategic Goals Discussed in this IPE Experience

  • Improved population health
  • Reduced costs

Detailed Description and Purpose of the IPE Experience

The goal of this course is to train students to become wicked scientists who are able to
tackle the grand challenges of today and tomorrow—what are otherwise known as wicked
problems. The concept of wicked problems describes a wide range of local, national, and
global challenges including: climate change, food security, biodiversity loss, marine plastic
pollution, growing inequality, cyber security, and emerging infectious diseases. Wicked
problems have two fundamental properties: they are complex with many interdependencies;
and stakeholders have different values, interests and conceptions of the problem and its
solution. Tackling them requires the skills and attitudes of wicked scientists. This is the idea
behind this transdisciplinary course. You will learn what wicked problems are and learn
strategies for tackling the politics and complexity of these problems. Rittel and Webber—who
first developed the concept of wicked problems—suggested that because wicked problems are
complex and political, it is virtually impossible to “solve” them. However, the premise of this
course is that when researchers are trained to consider the politics and complexity of these
wicked problems, it will lead to more equitable and sustainable resolutions and outcomes.


Level of IPE Integration

  • 1. Foundations: Consists of introductory learning experience that equips learners with new knowledge and skills that enable them to interact and learn from professions, disciplines, and community sectors outside their own.

Attendance or Participation in the IPE Experience

  • Stand-alone for-credit course - Anthrop 5505: Wicked Science

Attendance or Participation is Voluntary or Required

  • Required for everyone enrolled

Preparation Work Hours

  • 06. greater than 11 hours

Frequency of the IPE Experience

  • 02. Semesterly – occurs each semester

Duration and/or Timeline of the IPE Experience

  • 06. greater than 11 hours
  • Semester

Campus and/or Location of the IPE Experience

  • Campus - Columbus

Average Number of Learners Participating in the IPE Experience

  • 03. 26- 50

Target Audiences

College of Arts and Sciences (ASC)

  • Speech-Language Pathology (MA)

College of Dentistry


College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE)


College of Engineering


College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)


College of Medicine

  • Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (DOT)
  • Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT)
  • Master in Athletic Training (MAT)
  • Master in Genetic Counseling (MS in Genetic Counseling)
  • Bachelor of Science in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences – Respiratory Therapy
  • Master of Dietetics and Nutrition (MDN)
  • Master of Science in Health and Rehabilitation (MS in HRS)
  • Medical Laboratory Science (MLS)

College of Nursing


College of Optometry

  • Doctor of Optometry (OD)

College of Pharmacy

  • Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

College of Public Health (CPH)


College of Social Work (CSW)

  • Master of Social Work (MSW)

College of Veterinary Medicine

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

Ohio Dominican University


Other

IPEC Core Competencies for the Experience

IPEC Core Competency: Values and Ethics

IPEC Core Competency: Roles and Responsibilities

  • RR01. Include the full scope of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of team members to provide care that is person-centered, safe, cost-effective, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.

IPEC Core Competency: Communication

IPEC Core Competency: Teams and Teamwork

  • TT01. Describe evidence-informed processes of team development and team practices.

Collaborative Leadership

Evidence-Based Practice

Contact Person(s) and Contact Information for the IPE Experience

Instructor
Name: Dr. Nick Kawa
Email: kawa.5@osu.edu