Validating a SMIIL:) Development and initial validation of a Scale Measuring the Impact of Interprofessional Learning...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professional Training
• Educational Assessment

Background:

• Designing and evaluating interprofessional learning (IPL) in pre-qualification healthcare education often lacks customization.
• Existing evaluation methods may not adequately capture the nuances of diverse IPL interventions.
• There is a need for a context-driven evaluation tool for undergraduate IPL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Scale Measuring the Impact of Interprofessional Learning (SMIIL).
• To create a tool for context-driven evaluation of IPL interventions in undergraduate settings.
• To align scale items with common IPL themes and modified Kirkpatrick's model levels 1-3.

Main Methods:

• The SMIIL was developed and piloted with 787 Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery students.
• Data collection occurred during the COVID-19 lockdown (March-July 2020), achieving a 22.7% response rate.
• Scale validation involved descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and Cronbach's Alpha for internal consistency.

Main Results:

• The resultant SMIIL is a unidimensional instrument comprising 17 items.
• The scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.80.
• The study successfully piloted the scale despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 lockdown.

Conclusions:

• The SMIIL is a validated, internally consistent instrument for evaluating undergraduate interprofessional learning.
• Further research is needed to fully develop and validate the scale across diverse student cohorts, locations, and IPL intervention styles.
• The SMIIL offers a foundation for context-driven evaluation of interprofessional learning in pre-qualification healthcare education.