Interprofessional education in an enrichment programme for prospective health sciences students

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Medical Training

Background:

• Effective interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for preparing health sciences students for collaborative practice.
• The Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP) targets students entering dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and physical therapy.
• Evaluating the impact of IPE on student attitudes towards teamwork is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the Summer Academic Enrichment Program in shaping students' attitudes towards interprofessional healthcare teams.
• To determine if the program influences students' readiness for interprofessional learning and collaboration.

Main Methods:

• The study utilized pre- and post-program assessments.
• Attitudes were measured using the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale and the Revised Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale.
• Statistical analysis was performed on the collected data.

Main Results:

• Pre-program, pre-pharmacy students showed more positive attitudes towards team value than pre-dental students.
• Post-program assessments revealed that these initial differences were no longer significant.
• All participating students demonstrated significantly improved attitudes toward interprofessional teams after the program.

Conclusions:

• The Summer Academic Enrichment Program effectively enhanced students' positive attitudes towards interprofessional teams and collaboration.
• IPE initiatives can successfully bridge attitudinal gaps between different health professions students.
• The program demonstrates value in fostering a collaborative mindset essential for future healthcare professionals.