Perceived benefits and challenges of interprofessional education based on a multidisciplinary faculty member survey

To identify differences among faculty members in various health professional training programs in perceived benefits and challenges of implementing interprofessional education (IPE).

A 19-item survey using a 5-point Likert scale was administered to faculty members across different health disciplines at a west coast, multicollege university with osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, and physician assistant programs.

Sixty-two of 103 surveys (60.2%) were included in the study. Faculty members generally agreed that there were benefits of IPE on patient outcomes and that implementing IPE was feasible. However, group differences existed in belief that IPE improves care efficiency (p=0.001) and promotes team-based learning (p=0.001). Program divergence was also seen in frequency of stressing importance of IPE (p=0.009), preference for more IPE opportunities (p=0.041), and support (p=0.002) within respective college for IPE.

Despite consensus among faculty members from 3 disciplines that IPE is invaluable to their curricula and training of health care students, important program level differences existed that would likely need to be addressed in advance IPE initiatives.