Effect of Experiential Competency-Based Interprofessional Education on Pre-Professional Undergraduate Students: A...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Learning
• Undergraduate Education

Background:

• Complex health and social issues necessitate interprofessional collaboration.
• Current interprofessional education primarily targets graduate healthcare students.
• Undergraduate health and allied health graduates often lack essential interprofessional teamwork skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a competency-based, interprofessional undergraduate course.
• To evaluate the impact of an innovative experiential course on interprofessional competencies.
• To address the gap in interprofessional training for pre-professional students.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental design involving 11 undergraduate students (human services, public health, nursing).
• Utilized a modified Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competency Survey for student and faculty ratings post-simulation.
• Incorporated open-ended student reflections on team experiences.

Main Results:

• The undergraduate course demonstrated an increase in students' interprofessional competencies.
• Group dynamics were found to influence students' self-perceived skill levels.
• Student self-ratings of competencies were generally higher than faculty assessments.

Conclusions:

• Undergraduate interprofessional courses can effectively enhance students' competencies.
• Educators must actively manage group dynamics and work styles to optimize competency development.
• Providing interprofessional learning opportunities for pre-professional students is crucial for future healthcare challenges.