"Collaborative-ready" students: Exploring factors that influence collaboration during a longitudinal...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for developing "collaborative-ready" healthcare professionals.
• Effective collaboration among healthcare providers is essential for improving patient health outcomes.
• Understanding student perspectives is key to optimizing IPE experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore student-reported factors influencing collaboration in a longitudinal IPE program.
• To identify facilitators and inhibitors of interprofessional teamwork from student viewpoints.
• To inform curricular enhancements for better preparation of future healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative thematic analysis of focus group data.
• Inclusion of first-year pharmacy and medical students in IPE courses.
• Three focus groups conducted with a total of 18 student participants.

Main Results:

• Student participants reported various factors that facilitate and inhibit collaboration.
• Differences in age and prior healthcare experience were noted between pharmacy and medical students.
• Key themes emerged regarding role clarity, preceptor development, orientation, and scheduling.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest specific areas for curricular redesign in IPE programs.
• Recommendations include clarifying provider roles and enhancing preceptor training.
• Improved course orientation and student schedule coordination can foster better collaboration.