Encountering complexity in collaborative learning activities: an exploratory case study with undergraduate health...

Area of Science:

• Health professions education
• Complexity science in healthcare
• Interprofessional learning

Background:

• Undergraduate health professions programs face challenges preparing students for complex practice environments.
• New graduates report difficulties transitioning due to increasing healthcare complexity.
• Research on student learning opportunities related to complexity in health professions education is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore first-year health care students' experiences with authentic complexity in a student-driven collaborative learning activity.
• To investigate how novices navigate and respond to complexity in an interprofessional setting outside the traditional classroom.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory case study design was employed.
• 67 first-year students from various health disciplines formed 15 interprofessional collectives.
• Data collected via self-reflection forms with narrative free-text responses, analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Main Results:

• Students perceived the learning activity's complexity as a stimulating challenge, not overwhelming.
• Participants reported rising to the challenge and extending beyond their comfort zones.
• Complexity was tacitly experienced and successfully navigated through interprofessional collaboration over time.

Conclusions:

• First-year health care students can successfully engage with and learn from authentic complexity in collaborative settings.
• Interprofessional learning activities, with minimal constraints, can foster adaptability and resilience in future health professionals.
• Findings suggest that carefully designed learning environments can prepare students for the complexities of contemporary healthcare practice.