A mixed-method longitudinal study of an interprofessional education course.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Learning
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for developing collaborative healthcare professionals.
• Understanding longitudinal changes in student perceptions within IPE is essential for curriculum development.
• Existing research often lacks longitudinal data on student self-perceptions in IPE settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in health professional students' perceptions of professional flexibility, role interdependence, and process reflection over time.
• To assess the impact of an interprofessional service-learning course on these student perceptions.
• To identify implications for designing effective interprofessional educational initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method longitudinal study design was employed.
• Data collected from Fall 2014 to 2018 via online surveys and qualitative reflection papers.
• Participants were health professional students enrolled in a 14-week interprofessional service-learning course.

Main Results:

• Significant quadratic growth observed in students' reflection on teamwork processes.
• Significant linear growth demonstrated in students' perceived professional flexibility.
• Non-significant changes reported in role interdependence, though qualitative data indicated learning.

Conclusions:

• Participation in the interprofessional service-learning course positively influenced students' reflection and flexibility.
• IPE initiatives can effectively foster key interprofessional competencies.
• Further research should explore factors influencing role interdependence in IPE.