Graduate level health professions education: how do previous work experiences influence perspectives about...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Graduate Medical Education

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) and collaboration are crucial for effective healthcare delivery.
• Understanding how prior experiences shape graduate students' views on IPE is vital for designing impactful interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how previous work and educational experiences influence graduate health professions students' perspectives on interprofessional education and collaboration.
• To inform the development of targeted graduate-level IPE interventions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative secondary data analysis of 75 interviews from graduate students across 4 health professions.
• Directed content analysis focusing on descriptions of interprofessional education or collaboration stemming from prior experiences.

Main Results:

• 173 discrete descriptions of prior interprofessional education or collaboration experiences were identified.
• Three key themes emerged: previous educational experiences, previous work experiences, and organizational factors.
• Experiences were largely consistent across professions, with minor variations due to specific professional training.

Conclusions:

• Graduate health professions students' prior experiences significantly shape their perspectives on interprofessional education and collaboration.
• Identified themes provide insights into tailoring IPE interventions for graduate learners.
• Recognizing differences between graduate and undergraduate learners is essential for effective IPE design.