UCC Students Showcase Interprofessional Excellence at AIPEC

11 Mar 2026

The All-Ireland Interprofessional Healthcare Challenge (AIPEC) is an annual intervarsity competition. It brings healthcare students from across Ireland together to work in interprofessional teams to develop and present a patient-centred management plan for a complex clinical case.

UCC has participated in AIPEC since 2019, and this year three student teams took part in the local competition held in UCC on 10 March. Working collaboratively over several weeks, the teams developed a patient management plan for Mary, a member of the Traveller Community diagnosed with breast cancer. Their presentations highlighted the importance of inclusive, culturally informed and patient-centred care.

Students from Audiology, Dentistry, Medical and Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Occupational Therapy, Paramedicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Social Work contributed to the local competition, reflecting the strong interprofessional ethos within the College.

Students from across UCC demonstrated outstanding teamwork, compassion and innovation during the local round.

Congratulations to the winning team who went on to represent UCC at the AIPEC final at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland on 26 March, competing against teams from universities across the island of Ireland: Sorcha Cronin (Pharmacy), Tomás Cronin (Dentistry), Akshaya Indrakumar (Medicine), Katie O’Loughlin (Medical and Health Sciences), Gabriel Orhadje (Medicine), Samantha Mhlanga (Social Work) and Laura Vesey (Occupational Therapy).

Taking part in the challenge provided a valuable opportunity for students to engage with peers from other universities, apply their learning in a practical context, and gain experience in presenting ideas that have the potential to shape the future of healthcare delivery.

All students involved in AIPEC showcased the collaborative skills crucial for excellent patient care, with special recognition to the Queen’s University Belfast team for securing first place at AIPEC 2026. 

We are already looking ahead to AIPEC 2027. To learn more about getting involved, email Dr Aoife Fleming, Vice Head, Interprofessional Learning CoMH, at A.Fleming@ucc.ie