Interprofessional education and collaborative practice in Kuwait: attitudes and barriers from faculty.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Practice
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for preparing health professionals for team-based care.
• Implementation of IPE remains limited globally.
• Kuwait University Health Sciences Center is preparing to introduce IPE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore faculty attitudes towards collaborative practice and IPE.
• To identify faculty training needs for IPE implementation.
• To determine perceived barriers to IPE implementation at Kuwait University Health Sciences Center.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to faculty members.
• Two hundred and ten individuals completed the survey, yielding a 60% response rate.
• Data analysis focused on attitudes, training needs, and barriers.

Main Results:

• Respondents demonstrated positive attitudes towards interprofessional healthcare teams and IPE (median attitude score of 4.0/5).
• More positive attitudes were observed among assistant professors, females, and faculty with ≤10 years of experience.
• High willingness for IPE training (91.9%) was reported, with small-group learning preferred.

Conclusions:

• Faculty generally support IPE, but significant barriers related to leadership, curriculum, teaching, and change resistance exist.
• Targeted faculty development strategies are needed to overcome identified barriers.
• Findings inform international strategies for effective IPE engagement.