Assessing Change in Interprofessional Collaborative Competency of Physician Assistant Students After Observing an...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Interprofessional Healthcare
• Allied Health Professions

Background:

• Physician assistant (PA) education can benefit from interprofessional learning experiences.
• Understanding the roles of occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) is crucial for collaborative practice.
• A student-run pro bono clinic offers a practical setting for interprofessional observation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure changes in interprofessional competency among PA students.
• To assess the impact of observing OT and PT sessions on PA students' knowledge.
• To foster improved collaborative practice through enhanced understanding of rehabilitation interventions.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective pretest-posttest design was employed.
• 75 PA students observed OT or PT treatment sessions at a pro bono clinic.
• The Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey and open-ended questions assessed self-perceived skills and qualitative themes.

Main Results:

• Mean total competency scores significantly increased post-observation (3.73 to 4.31, P < .001).
• Significant improvements were observed across all 6 competency subscales (P < .001).
• Qualitative themes included enhanced knowledge of colleagues' roles, recognizing referral needs, and understanding functional training.

Conclusions:

• Observation of OT and PT broadened PA students' understanding of interprofessional roles and collaboration.
• Students gained confidence in teamwork and a better appreciation for patient-centered care with functional goals.
• Interprofessional educational experiences are valuable for developing collaborative care skills.