Interprofessional education for physiotherapy, medical and dietetics students: a pilot programme

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is recognized for improving interprofessional practice among health professionals.
• Limited opportunities for IPE existed within pre-registration health degree programs in New Zealand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of integrating an interprofessional component into existing medical, physiotherapy, and dietetics courses.
• To evaluate changes in student attitudes towards interprofessional practice and healthcare teams.

Main Methods:

• A case-based interprofessional course component on chronic condition management was developed.
• Pre- and post-surveys measured student attitudes towards IPE and interprofessional practice.
• Focus groups with students and teachers explored experiences and challenges.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated statistically significant increases in positive attitudes towards interprofessional practice and education.
• Confidence in the effectiveness of healthcare teams also significantly increased among students.
• Focus groups corroborated survey findings and identified logistical challenges for educators.

Conclusions:

• IPE initiatives are beneficial for students and educators, fostering collaborative approaches to patient care.
• Logistical challenges related to timing, activities, and assessment require careful consideration for equitable implementation.
• Integrating IPE into health professional curricula can enhance collaborative practice and improve healthcare quality and safety.