Assessing the Viewpoint of the Faculty Members and Graduates of Kerman University of Medical Sciences Toward Interprofessional Education and Interprofessional Teamwork

Abstract

Background: interprofessional education (IPE) is an educational method, in which students learn two or more specific professions together, from each other, and about each other IPE for health students has been proposed as an alternative to conventional teaching methods.Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the viewpoint of faculty members and graduates of Kerman University of Medical SciencesregardingIPEand interprofessional teamwork and determine the characteristics affecting their views on IPEand interprofessional teamwork.Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on faculty members and graduates of various fields of medical sciences working in Kerman in 2018. Samples were selected by the quota sampling method. To collect data, questionnaires of Attitude TowardsInterprofessional Health Care Teams and Attitude Towards Interprofessional Education were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: More than 90% of the participants had a good attitude towards teamwork and IPE. There was no significant relationship between work experience and attitude towards teamwork (P = 0.15), but there was a significant and inverse relationship between work experience and attitudes about interprofessional learning (r = -0.43, P =0.007). Those working in non-governmental jobs showed a better attitude towards teamwork and interprofessional learning (P <0.001).Conclusion: Determining the views of faculty members and graduates of Kerman University of Medical Sciences regarding IPE and its influencing factors is helpful for educational planning and development of educational programs in various fields. Also, for better planning, educational needs explained by these people should be considered. Planning and developing an educational program in this regard can lead to improving the quality of health services.