Back to basics for curricular development: A proposed framework for thinking about how interprofessional learning...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Defining mechanisms of interprofessional learning for collaborative behavior is challenging for evidence-based curriculum design.
• An inductive approach was used to understand student experiences in interprofessional activities.
• Grounded theory methods informed the analysis of reflective essays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a preliminary framework for interprofessional learning based on student lived experiences.
• To identify factors necessary for effective interprofessional learning.
• To examine the utility of the proposed framework in relation to existing theory.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 245 reflective essays from an interprofessional workshop at Case Western Reserve University.
• Participants included students from medicine, nursing, social work, and dentistry.
• Iterative coding and constant comparison analysis were employed, achieving saturation.

Main Results:

• Second-order themes and four aggregate dimensions emerged from the data.
• A preliminary framework for interprofessional learning was developed.
• The framework integrates identified factors crucial for learning.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework provides a foundation for interprofessional curriculum development.
• The study offers insights into the lived experiences of students in interprofessional settings.
• The framework's utility is demonstrated in relation to established educational theories.