Interprofessional Health Education in Mass-Gathering Events: The Missing Link

Abstract

Context: Mass-gathering events (MGEs) place substantial pressure on health systems and require a shift from siloed responses to integrated, interprofessional collaboration. This review examines the role of interprofessional education (IPE) as a critical yet neglected component of MGE preparedness. Evidence Acquisition: A structured narrative review was conducted. The literature was synthesized from major databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, as well as from gray literature sources, including World Health Organization guidelines, focusing on MGE health management, disaster medicine, and IPE frameworks published between 2000 and 2024. Results: Current training models are predominantly discipline-specific, which may contribute to communication breakdowns and operational silos during crises, including major MGE-related disasters. Interprofessional education strengthens shared situational awareness and distributed leadership, both of which are vital for managing the nonlinear dynamics of MGEs. Conclusions: Interprofessional education is the missing link in building resilient health systems. Transitioning from episodic workshops to longitudinal, integrated interprofessional curricula is essential to achieving sustainable global health security in mass gatherings.