Philosophy and History

SHAPED - short for the "Swiss Health Alliance for Interprofessional Education" - is a student-based association which strives to increase interprofessional education (IPE) and cooperation among the healthcare professions in Switzerland.

Disappointed by the lack of IPE opportunities as well as the strict separation of the curricula of the different healthcare studies, we came together as SHAPED in the fall semester of 2020. Starting with as few as three persons, we are now roughly 20 motivated students from six professional backgrounds and ten institutions from all over Switzerland. And naturally, we are always looking forward to meeting a new, motivated face!

Our Vision

“The next generation of healthcare professionals advocates for better patient care by promoting interprofessional work in the healthcare sector. It does this by creating an interactive space where students and (young) professionals break down prejudices and learn to view other healthcare professionals as equals and equally competent regarding their individual skill sets.”

Our Policy Paper

On our journey here, some of us have started off with what is called SYHA (the Swiss Youth Health Alliance) - a conglomerate of healthcare students' associations in Switzerland. SHAPED continues to be part of SYHA and stays connected with other students’ associations active in the field of healthcare. Together with them, we have written and are supporting the following policy paper on Interprofessional Education.