Interprofessional education: A recognized necessity, a persistent challenge - Perspectives from a longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Interprofessional Education (IPE) is crucial for collaborative healthcare and patient outcomes.
• Longitudinal research on medical students' readiness for IPE is scarce, especially in diverse global settings.
• Brazil lacks comprehensive studies on interprofessional learning readiness across medical training stages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To longitudinally map and analyze the evolution of medical students' readiness for interprofessional learning.
• To assess changes in readiness across distinct educational phases at a Brazilian university.
• To identify trends in interprofessional learning attitudes throughout medical school.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative longitudinal study design.
• 53 medical students assessed using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS).
• Data collected at university entry (2021), end of basic sciences (2022), and end of clinical cycle (2024); analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA.

Main Results:

• Significant temporal changes observed in 'Teamwork and collaboration' and 'Patient-centered care' dimensions.
• 'Patient-centered care' showed a non-linear trend: initial increase followed by a decrease.
• 'Professional identity' remained stable throughout the study period.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional readiness is complex and dynamic during medical education.
• Early introduction and sustained, adaptive IPE interventions are recommended.
• Addressing patient-centered attitude fluctuations and fostering interprofessional identity early is vital for collaborative practice readiness.