Interprofessional versus uniprofessional dyad learning for medical students in a clinical setting

The aim of the present study was to explore and compare medical students' perceived learning outcomes when treating patients under supervision in two different learning settings: a uniprofessional or an interprofessional dyad.

The design of the study is a qualitative interview study. Data were collected from October 2016 to June 2017 via semi-structured group interviews performed at the end of the clinical placement in an orthopaedic outpatient clinic for medical students in the last semester of the curriculum. In the placement, the students worked by turns in either a uniprofessional dyad with two medical students or an interprofessional dyad with a nursing student. The data from the interviews were analysed using Systematic Text Analysis.

Overall, 21 students were interviewed. The students appreciated the authenticity of dealing with real patient problems. Both dyads provided the possibility of working as a professional, but the interprofessional dyad had a more authentic setting. In both dyads, the students' interdependence and mutual support promoted the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Working in the interprofessional dyad facilitated relationships between the professions, and the medical students became aware of some of their own profession's strengths and weaknesses. The interprofessional collaboration contributed to different perspectives on the patients' course of treatment and led to a more holistic understanding of the treatment.

Interprofessional dyads have the potential to improve learning outcomes in the clinical training of medical students. Further studies are needed to explore the benefits across medical specialities and settings.