An Exploration of Student Perception Toward Interprofessional High-Fidelity Clinical Simulation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Simulation
• Interprofessional Practice

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) enhances collaboration, mirroring clinical practice.
• Existing simulation literature lacks studies involving Physician Associate (PA) students.
• This initiative addresses the gap by exploring PA and allied health professional (AHP) student perceptions of IPE simulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore PA and AHP student perceptions of interprofessional clinical simulation.
• To inform program development for simulation-based IPE.
• To identify factors influencing the effectiveness of IPE simulation.

Main Methods:

• A high-fidelity simulation session was conducted with PA, paramedic science, and physiotherapy students.
• A mixed-method electronic questionnaire assessed student perceptions (numerical rating scale and open-ended questions).
• Inductive thematic analysis was used for qualitative data; Allport's contact hypothesis guided the design.

Main Results:

• 46 students participated; 48% provided feedback.
• Overall student perception of interprofessional simulation was positive.
• Barriers to learning were identified, leading to 5 proposed tips for effective simulation.

Conclusions:

• This is the first study on high-fidelity interprofessional simulation involving PA and AHP students.
• Student perceptions were successfully explored, highlighting key learning impacts.
• Interprofessional simulation is a feasible and acceptable learning method, with recommendations for improvement.