Assessing faculty attitudes after participation in an interprofessional teaching scholars programme

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Academic Medicine
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) and practice are priorities in academic health centers, but implementation faces challenges.
• Faculty development in teaching IPE is crucial for successful implementation.
• The University of California, Davis Schools of Health established the Interprofessional Teaching Scholars Program (ITSP) in 2014 to address this need.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Interprofessional Teaching Scholars Program (ITSP) on faculty attitudes towards interprofessional education and collaborative practice.
• To measure changes in faculty members' perceptions regarding interprofessional health care teams and learning environments.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal comparative study design was employed.
• Two cohorts of 11 faculty scholars each participated in the nine-month ITSP program.
• Pre- and post-assessments using a validated survey instrument measured changes in faculty attitudes.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase was observed in summated scores across all three subscales: Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Health Care Teams, Attitudes Towards IPE, and Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Learning in the Academic Setting.
• The ITSP demonstrated a positive association with faculty members' attitudes concerning interprofessional collaboration.
• Faculty participants showed enhanced perceptions of interprofessional teamwork and learning.

Conclusions:

• The Interprofessional Teaching Scholars Program (ITSP) is an effective faculty development initiative for enhancing attitudes towards interprofessional education and practice.
• The program contributes to fostering a more collaborative and interprofessionally integrated academic health environment.
• Investing in faculty development programs like ITSP can lead to significant positive shifts in attitudes crucial for effective interprofessional healthcare delivery.