Interprofessional Education: Exploring the Perspective of Psychology and Physiotherapy Students at a Malaysian Private University

Evidence-based practice collectively involves research evidence, clinician expertise, and patient preference while making health care decisions. Due to health care reform legislation, there is grea...

Background: The World Health Organization emphasizes the significance of interprofessional collaboration and education. Being aware of the value of collaboration among professionals within the healthcare team, the university in Vietnam has tended to prepare students for teamwork through interprofessional education. However, the success of interprofessional education is contingent upon the students' attitudes. Objectives: To identify students' attitudes at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy toward interprofessional learning and explore factors affecting their readiness for the program. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study on 301 Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy students in ten majors, responding to an online survey from May to July of 2023 using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale. Besides, we collected demographic information including age, gender, ethnicity, major, academic years, and info learned/experienced in the interprofessional education of students. Multivariate regression was used to explore factors affecting students' readiness for interprofessional learning. Results: Students replied to the questionnaire. All of them had no experience in interprofessional education (100%); almost all participants were Kinh ethnicity (91.7%), and female (72.8%). The average age was 19.9 ± 0.7 years old. Students studying in the 2nd year were 65.8%. Nursing students account for the highest proportion (21.3%). The total score on the 19item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale rated by 301 students was 72.2 ± 8.2. The Positive professional identity subscale scored 4.1 ± 0.6 while the Teamwork and collaboration subscale scored 4.2 ± 0.5. The subscales measuring Negative professional identity and Roles and responsibilities had mean scores of 2.7 ± 1.1 and 3.4 ± 0.8, respectively. The study found an association between the subscale's score and the profession and ethnicity of students. Conclusion: Most students are ready for interprofessional learning, educators need to study how to build and introduce interprofessional education for them.

Key Points A competent, collaborative, interprofessional team centered on the patient is necessary for quality pain care; however, interprofessional collaborative practice is not yet an integral part of all health professions education programs. Interprofessional education involves 2 or more professions learning "with, from, and about" to enable effective collaborative practice and improve health outcomes. Core competencies and curricular resources are available for interprofessional education and pain and can be adapted for use at all levels of health professions education. 1. Introduction Pain is a complex experience that impacts health, productivity, and well-being. It requires a collaborative team approach with a common language and clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. With few exceptions, a minimum amount of pain content has been documented in health sciences curricula, and much of that has been fragmented by profession and delivered within a crowded agenda of conventional course topics such as anatomy and physiology.21 Most health professionals learn pain management on the job and are often ill-prepared to function as a team member in the real world. Despite documentation of the need for improved education on pain of all types, consistent professional training in pain is not widespread and innovation is warranted. The 2018 IASP Global Year for Excellence in Pain Education is a call to action on multiple levels. The purpose of this report is to describe opportunities for mutual learning through interprofessional (IP) pain education. Interprofessional education (IPE) is a growing trend across health professions and has been defined (Table 1) as when 2 or more professions learn with, from, and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care.16 For IP learning to occur, all 3 "with, from, and about" must be present.11Table 1: Operational definitions.2. With others–learning together to facilitate interprofessional collaborative practice The complexity of health care across the globe, technological advances, and modern models of care delivery has created demand for a practice-ready workforce and effective teamwork.31 Medical errors often result from poor communication within and across teams; high functioning teams improve outcomes of care.18 Professional education has not kept pace with increasing demands for collaboration-ready health workers in part because of disjointed, outdated, and static curricula; furthermore, a glaring mismatch of competencies to patient and population needs persists.12 We educate students most often in uniprofessional settings (silos) with little opportunity to learn and practice together. Although learning experiences in the clinic or on a ward offer more opportunities to learn with, from, and about other health care professionals, there may be few role model IP teams in the real environment. Uniprofessional education is inadequate to prepare health care trainees to work in teams and can spur competition rather than cooperation between the professions. Recognizing this struggle, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice in 2010.34 The report contextualizes existing health systems, commits to implementing principles of IPE and collaborative practice, and champions the benefits of IP collaborations with regional partners, educators, and health workers. Contemporaneously, the Lancet Commissions issued a foundational report12 developed by 20 health profession leaders from diverse countries advancing a common strategy for educational reform in medicine, nursing, and public health. The Lancet Commission calls for education reform that is guided by the desired outcomes of transformative learning and interdependence in education. Transformative learning involves fundamental shifts from fact memorization to synthesis of information for decision making; from seeking professional credentials to achieving core competencies for effective teamwork in health systems; and adaptation of global resources to address local priorities.12 Interdependence stresses the system approach that offers insights into the dynamic and nonlinear nature of a complex system that cannot be gained by studying components of the environment in isolation. This report also underscores the pace, scale, and intensity of globalization impacting interactions of health systems and education. In several countries, collaboration of national associations of health profession regulatory bodies has given rise to recommendations for core competencies for IP collaborative practice designed to guide curriculum development in interactive learning. For example, competencies16 developed by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) in the United States have become part of the global conversation (Table 2). The Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education has hosted a series of meetings engaging stakeholders and policymakers through linked projects and networks in Uganda, South Africa, India, and Europe.8 Updated in 2016, the IPEC competencies integrate explicit population health outcomes with individual care competencies to form an expanded model that targets desirable health system goals. Interprofessional collaboration, in this framework, is the central domain under which the original competencies are arranged. Similarly, the Canadian IP Health Collaborative developed the National Interprofessional Competency Framework in 2010, which has been used in various countries and academic settings.5Table 2: Interprofessional collaborative competency domains.Interprofessional collaboration occurs when learners/practitioners, patients/clients/families, and communities develop and maintain working relationships that enable optimal health outcomes.5 Interprofessional collaborative practice occurs when multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds work together with patients, families, and communities to deliver the highest quality of care. Interprofessional core competencies build on modern educational theory and practice to bring together all health professions with shared language, vision, and goals (Table 3). These competencies are important for positive outcomes, including those we aim for in quality pain care.Table 3: Characteristics of health-focused interprofessional core competencies.10,163. From others—learning from different professions to facilitate collaboration and communication Collaborative approaches are invaluable when pain management is complex, requiring the knowledge and skills of more than one profession. It is logical then, that to work together, future health care workers would benefit from learning together to understand each other's roles and responsibilities and how to communicate using common language. The provision of opportunities for student interaction is fundamental to the learning experience to develop an understanding of the perspective of various professions and to foster a climate of mutual respect and relationship-building values. Interprofessional education requires active learner participation and case-based content that is authentic and foundational to many health professionals.6,26 Although most IPE is focused on prelicensure students, literature is emerging in post graduate clinical education. Themes in the context of back pain in a primary care setting included the context, value of involving the patient, listening, time and learning together.7 The intent is to impact practice and improve quality of health care. 4. About others–attaining competence to use knowledge of one's own role and those of other professions to address pain care needs Pain experience is multidimensional; therefore, pain education draws on not only mechanisms but also a variety of theories such as relational, professionalism, and social constructivism and is grounded in adult learning theory.31,33 The concept of communities of practice and situated learning is also important as students move from learning about their own profession to other professions and members of a team.31 These concepts reinforce a model of multiprofessional team management of pain championed long ago by John Bonica. Learners need to become self-directed, critical thinkers and reflective practitioners, able to function as members of teams, and be good communicators, adaptable to change and continuing to learn through professional experiences.3,22 Interprofessional education is not a replacement for education specific to each profession, a reason to lose individual professional identity, the only innovation needed in the health system, and an end in itself. We do not do IPE for its own sake; we do it to help understand each other's roles and contributions to work together in a real-world practice setting. 5. Barriers to overcome A number of significant barriers must be overcome to successfully implement and sustain a culture of IPE.22,32 Leadership at the highest level is needed for a culture change to be successful. For example, licensure and accreditation requirements do not currently reinforce preparation for collaborative practice in most countries. A survey of 41 countries from WHO's 6 regions representing various income economies reported IPE was often voluntary.27 Moreover, the lack of compulsory IPE and pain competencies for entry-to-practice graduates has implications for advancing skillful and ethical practice; it can limit the capacity of health care professionals to alleviate suffering, foster autonomy, and use resources justly.32 As well, many faculty are trained and familiar with the didactic teacher role rather than how to be an effective IPE facilitator and are not comfortable teaching pain content4; faculty education and development are needed. Faculty and clinician composition in the development and implementation of IPE activities may influence the outcomes of the learning activities.25,33 Evidence is scarce in developing countries, but challenges may be similar including curriculum structure and complexity. It has been suggested that barriers be taken as opportunities to transform approaches to core health problems in developing countries.30 Modifications in physical classroom space, competition for curriculum hours, and coordination of schedules can be challenging. Ideally, students should be introduced to IPE early with learning activities that build on competencies. Curriculum design is an iterative process necessitating modifications of complexity in patient cases and also the challenges of integrating clinical content to meet the needs of all levels of learners.33 Perceived differences in hierarchy, power status, and unequal participation rates among certain health professions have also been described as challenges.24 However, IPE can provide an opportunity to transform the way we socialize students by improving the understanding and respect of each other's unique roles and responsibilities within the team. Of course, the ultimate challenge is to harmonize learning experiences with well-functioning IP teams in clinical practice. Involvement of clinicians in curriculum development and implementation can help to insure real-world pain care and patient-centered modeling.33 6. Defining components of interprofessional education–competencies (learning outcomes), curriculum (learning plans), and content (learning objectives) Competency is the desired outcome of education. Distinct from learning objectives that emphasize gains in factual knowledge, attitudes, and skills, competency places emphasis on students' capacity to act effectively in relevant clinical situations.10 Competency generally includes observable phenomena such as being able to demonstrate the ability to explain a treatment or educate a patient about relevant treatment adverse effects. It also includes appropriate attitudinal and affective qualities to the extent that such are observable, eg, being able to maintain perceptibly compassionate communication while examining a painful part, potentially gauged through the use of interpersonal skills checklists. Core competencies in pain management for health professional education have been established.10 These pain competencies address the fundamental concepts and complexity of pain; how pain is observed and assessed; collaborative approaches to treatment options; and application of competencies across the life span in the context of various settings, populations, and care team models (Fig. 1). A set of values and guiding principles is embedded within each domain. These competencies can serve as a foundation for developing, defining, and revising curricula and as a resource for the creation of IP learning activities across health professions designed to advance care that effectively responds to pain.Figure 1.: Core competencies for pain management. These core competencies pain assessment and management were developed through an interprofessional consensus process10 to address prelicensure pain management education in all major health care professions that are consistent with the IASP pain curricula outlines. Graphic created by Ian Koebner, PhD. Used with permission University of California Regents or Graphic courtesy of University of California Regents.Pain curricula outlines provide the template that helps to structure learning. Curricula include considerations of sequencing material, developmental appropriateness, and coordination of different health professions' learning activities, so that students from different health profession programs will learn about for IPE at the same time. The IASP Pain Curriculum Outlines15 provide recommended curricula for pharmacy, psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, medicine, dentistry, social work, and IPE. Each is arranged to address 4 main domains and related core competencies including (1) the multidimensional nature of pain, (2) pain assessment and measurement, (3) the management of pain, and (4) pain in specific clinical conditions. The outlines are helpful for establishing courses that provide an integrated foundation in pain at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. With this foundation, students are prepared to understand and approach patients with many forms of pain, as well as provide support to families and caregivers. All IASP curricula outlines including IPE were updated in 2017 for the Global Year for Excellence in Pain Education. Content is the description of what is being taught at the most granular level, eg, what are the learning objectives. Content serves as an important common language necessary to effectively communicate with each other about the specific elements of our uniprofessional and IP learning plans. Three teaching modules that address a number of IASP topics and are adaptable for IPE are available on the Portal of Geriatric Online Education (POGOe.org).20 In the United States, the National Institutes of Health has created a freely accessible portal of pain education online learning modules. Based on a variety of local models of IP collaboration, these modules demonstrate that IPE can take various forms depending on the specific professions engaged and the goals for learning.23 A unique and perhaps most comprehensive program is the 20-hour University of Toronto's Pain IP Curriculum involving students from 7 professional programs. The program's design and implementation components are described in the Pain IP Curriculum Model as (1) dynamic, (2) competency-based, (3) interrelated, and (4) collaborative with the patient focus at the center.33 Experience with the program has informed the creation of an eLearning Pain Education Interprofessional Resource that is internet accessible and available on request.19 As a blended eLearning program, Pain Education Interprofessional Resource has been designed as a self-learning resource to be coupled with facilitated small group, IP, collaborative discussion. 7. Outcomes of interprofessional education Measuring outcomes of IPE can be quite challenging. Large gaps regarding methods, theory, and context remain, and most studies focus on short-term results. The heterogeneity of contexts, variety of interventions, and methodological limitations makes it difficult to draw generalizable inferences about key elements and effectiveness of IPE.17,26 Evaluation should ideally link to clinical practice, but there is a paucity of contextually and synthesized literature regarding outcomes, particularly for pain management.24 University-based IPE using patient scenarios and group work in small teams, as contrasted to didactic lectures, has been shown to be feasible and has led to improved attitudes toward IP interaction and teamwork and improved understanding of health professional roles.24 Studies of IPE have found differences between professions, with students in professions deemed psychosocial were more positive about IPE than students in biomedical career tracks.13 Similarly, Erickson et al.9 found that IP mentorship and group participation improved first year medical students' pain management skills but did not have the same effect on fourth year nursing student performance. Differences were attributed in part to experience in clinical settings but also suggested that combining different levels of students is acceptable if they are of similar age and life experience. A significant positive shift in the pain knowledge and attitudes toward collaboration has been demonstrated through IPE.14,28 Simko et al.29 reported an increased knowledge and understanding of the importance of other profession's role in pain management in an IPE course for nursing and pharmacy students. Other studies have reported high student satisfaction and significant improvement in self-efficacy1 as well as respect for each other's roles and responsibilities.2 Positive changes have also been reported in pain assessment and documentation behaviors from IPE.17 8. Summary The delivery of effective pain management can be complex, requiring collaborative, team approaches that exceed the expertise of any one profession. Interprofessional collaboration is increasingly recognized as a core skill for all clinicians and is beginning to be required by some accrediting bodies for medical, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, and social work programs. However, IP collaborative practice is not yet an integral part of all health professions education programs. Recommendations of the WHO34 and other leading organizations recognize IP collaborative practice and education as a central component of transformative improvements in health care. Based on work in a number of global settings, recommendations for educational change to incorporate IP collaboration into practice are available and undergoing further development. Creating IPE learning opportunities is important. The intent of IPE is to produce a collaborative practice-ready workforce to improve the quality of health care. Students should be introduced to IPE early and have developmentally appropriate opportunities throughout a curriculum program. Students can change agents in the real world to continuously improve the way health professionals work together, mentor students and improve the quality of pain care. The quality and rigor of IPE research is inadequate, and research needs to move beyond feasibility and attitudes toward long-term improvements in clinical care. When focused on pain, IPE is likely to provide substantive benefits in the real-world practice setting, but barriers to IPE adoption, including slow adoption of pain-focused competencies and cultural habits, limit uptake. When able to overcome these obstacles, IPE has the capacity to harmonize learning experiences and promote patient-centered socialization of health profession trainees at all levels. Importantly, communicating and assessing innovation in IPE relies on understanding the conceptual education framework built on key elements of competencies (learning outcomes), curriculum (learning plans), and content (learning objectives). Although more work is needed to identify the most effective approaches, and even fundamentally to define meaningful approaches to outcomes assessment, models of education such as IP workshop training and online education exist with positive impact. We leave readers with a brief table of actions they can take to advance and transform health professions' education (Table 4).Table 4: Suggested actions individuals can take to promote IPE.Disclosures The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. D.B. Gordon and B. Hogans hold positions of leadership in their University's NIH Pain Consortium designated Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPEs). J.Watt-Watson is a principal leader in the University of Toronto's IP curriculum program.

Interprofessional education--still more questions than answers?

A systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes of interprofessional education for healthcare students from seven countries

Celebrating the Culture of Interprofessional Collaboration in Athletic Training

Background: Stereotyping is one factor theorized to facilitate or inhibit effective interprofessional healthcare education and collaboration. The primary purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature to determine what stereotypes are present among healthcare students about other healthcare students and practitioners. The secondary purpose of this paper is to identify the instruments most commonly used to measure stereotypes held by healthcare practitioners and students. Methods and Findings: A search of nine electronic databases identified studies that examined stereotypes among healthcare students. Studies were included if they met three search criteria: utilized quantitative methods; collected data on the stereotypes of healthcare students, including medical students, toward other healthcare students or healthcare practitioners; and included participants who were enrolled in a professional healthcare program. Thirteen studies were identified for this review. The results demonstrate that students of various healthcare professions hold stereotypes characterized by both positive and negative adjectives of students and practitioners in their own and other healthcare professions. Conclusions: The presence of stereotypes among students may have an influence on patterns of communication and collaboration during future practice in the healthcare environment. Key Words: Stereotypes, Interprofessional, Healthcare Students, Healthcare Education

Introduction: Deprescribing is a complex and pivotal process in the healthcare system that requires the involvement of different healthcare professionals, as well as patients and family members. Given the multifaceted healthcare professionals involved in deprescribing, fostering interdisciplinary healthcare teams during the didactic and experiential educational engagement is imperative. Thus, this study aimed to characterize healthcare professional students' opinions on the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to deprescribing during the didactic and experiential components of the curriculum. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with healthcare professional students enrolled in a professional degree program at one Mid-South health science center located in the US. Focus groups were conducted via an online platform over three months in 2022, and recruitment continued until thematic saturation was achieved. Using Thematic Analysis, the corpus of the transcribed data was imported into Dedoose®, a qualitative software that facilitated the analysis. Results: A total of 36 healthcare professional students participated in four focus groups. Three themes emerged from the data: 1) setting the stage for deprescribing, 2) developing interprofessional deprescribing simulations, 3) potential positive patient outcomes. In the first theme, the healthcare professional students describe current challenges in the deprescribing process that call attention to the interprofessional nature of deprescribing. The second theme demonstrates the necessity of developing interprofessional simulations to educate healthcare professional students in the practice of deprescribing. Finally, in the third theme, the healthcare professional students illustrate the potential of interprofessional education on deprescribing to improve patient outcomes. Conclusion: The data highlights that there was strong agreement between extant literature and health professions participants on barriers to deprescribing, including interprofessional communication issues, and on the recommendation to enact interprofessional healthcare simulation education on deprescribing. In addition, the potential benefits of increased interprofessional education will provide immeasurable benefits and create an ample understanding of the health professions roles. These findings suggest that deprescribing focused interprofessional healthcare simulation educational activities should be conducted and assessed.

BACKGROUND Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential in healthcare training, fostering teamwork and communication skills critical for addressing complex patient care needs. Developing interprofessional competency involves knowledge acquisition, teamwork readiness, and effective collaboration. However, IPE faces challenges such as geographical barriers and faculty resistance. Innovative solutions like serious games using immersive virtual reality (IVR) and web-based platforms aim to enhance engagement and collaboration. Research comparing their effects on IPE outcomes remains limited. OBJECTIVE To identify the most effective method for implementing IPE by assessing the impact of IVR and web-based serious games on healthcare students' interprofessional competencies and learning experiences. METHODS A multi-method approach was adopted. which included pre- and post-learning assessments, knowledge-checking games, and focus group interviews to assess competency improvements and identify qualitative differences between IVR and web-based serious gaming platforms. A convenience sample consisting of 203 nursing students and 68 physiotherapy students was selected, creating 34 interprofessional groups. These groups were randomly allocated to either IVR (17 groups) or web-based training (17 groups) and underwent a crossover design, utilizing each modality for one week before transitioning. Surveys were administered to all students regarding their learning experiences, and four focus group discussions were held with 34 consenting participants (22 nursing and 12 physiotherapy students) to collect qualitative insights. All the participants filled the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS), the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS), the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) questionnaire and answered Multiple choice questions (MCQs). RESULTS The IVR group showed significant improvements in the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) and emotional connection (p=0.00). The web-based group demonstrated enhancements in community perception (p=0.00) and intrinsic motivation (p=0.04). Both groups significantly improved in multiple-choice question (MCQ) scores (p=0.00). Web-based group demonstrated significant improvements in MCQs compared with IVR group (p=0.00). No significant differences were found in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) scores for both groups. CONCLUSIONS Web-based games provided greater knowledge clarity and participant engagement than IVR. In both methods, community and knowledge growth were fostered, emphasizing the importance of stimulating learning environments to enhance educational outcomes.

Background and Aims: Interprofessional Education (IPE) is a vital academic blueprint for preparing future doctors to provide patient-centered collaborative approach to care best integrated health services. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness and readiness of Malaysian medical students towards interprofessional education. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study carried out using a questionnaire survey: The Readiness of Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). A convenience sampling method was employed. The sample was drawn from undergraduate students enrolled in year 1 to 5 of medical program in two medical universities. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The RIPLS was completed by 361 medical students who valued the importance of IPE. The students mentioned that shared learning with other healthcare professional students will increase their ability to understand clinical problems. The students also specified that team-working skills are essential for all healthcare students to learn. However, there were differences between students of different years of study in their perception and readiness toward IPE. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that undergraduate-health-care students have high perception and readiness towards IPE, however important differences in baseline readiness emerged according to year-level. These findings suggest that educators consider baseline attitudes of students when designing interprofessional education curricula. The implication of this awareness and readiness to practice IPL will create a more concert and harmony workspace to the healthcare professionals. Keywords: Interprofessional education, Interprofessional learning, readiness, RIPLS, medical education

ObjectivesThis scoping review aims to identify and summarize the available literature on 2-spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus (2SLGBTQ+) interprofessional health education and to identify optimal methods of interprofessional training to improve health care professional competency for this patient population. MethodsA search of PubMed and Embase was conducted and supplemented with a manual search of reference lists from identified articles. Articles were included if they reported an interprofessional education event on the topic of 2SLGBTQ+ health to at least 2 or more groups of health care professionals or students. Article screening was completed independently by 2 reviewers. Data from the included articles were extracted and mapped according to the type of participant (health care students or working health care professionals), type of event (workshop, case-based, course/curriculum, or forum), and type of assessment. ResultsOne hundred articles were screened, of which 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. Twelve articles focused on interprofessional health education for entry-to-practice students, with the remaining 3 articles involving practicing health care professionals. When mapped by type of event, 1-time case-based and workshop style events were the most used to deliver training. All 15 studies used an immediate presurvey and postsurvey design to evaluate the knowledge and competence of the participants after training. ConclusionsInterprofessional education for improving 2SLGBTQ+ health is largely delivered within entry-to-practice degree programs via 1-time events with knowledge- and confidence-based assessments. Further research is needed to determine the impact of this training in practice, as well as the applicability for the training of practicing health care professionals.

Background: Global regulatory bodies and the PM&DC (Pakistan Medical and Dental Council) share a competency framework that emphasizes the importance of graduates being effective communicators and collaborators in the healthcare system to achieve positive patient outcomes. However, due to unclear roles, conflicting power dynamics, and varying educational qualifications among healthcare professionals, effective interprofessional teamwork is often not realized, leading to suboptimal outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the attitudes and readiness of healthcare students towards inter-professional education. Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2020 by utilizing a prevalidated inventory called the Readiness of Interprofessional learning scale (RIPLS) to assess the readiness of students in healthcare programs. Data was collected using Google Forms, and the Kruskal-Wallis Test was employed to compare perceptions among the four groups. Results: 157 students completed the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 58%. All four groups demonstrated high readiness for mutual learning (mean rank=78.78) although physiotherapy students had higher scores (mean rank=79.36) compared to the other groups, while nursing students had the lowest scores (mean rank=77.92). Conclusion: The positive attitude of students towards interprofessional education and collaboration highlights the need for integration with other healthcare disciplines at both the curricular and co-curricular levels. Clinical case studies, problem-based learning, and simulations can be effective methods for fostering students' understanding of each profession's role.

Introduction. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education require the integration of interprofessional education (IPE) into their respective educational programs. This follows reports from the Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization that highlight the importance of IPE to prepare professionals for interprofessional collaborative practice. However, information related to practical strategies to incorporate learning experiences into the curriculum is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an interprofessional simulation on the self-efficacy of physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) students and to explore student perceptions of the IPE experience to better understand their engagement in learning. Methods. The study sample included 51 first-year PT students and 36 third year OT students, all enrolled in a case-based class, respectively. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was used to examine changes in self-efficacy for interprofessional learning among participants after an interprofessional simulation activity. Participants completed the Self-Efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning (SEIEL) survey 1 week before the simulation activity (pretest) and 1 week after (posttest.) Qualitative methods were used to gather feedback from participants about the learning activity. Results. Self-efficacy scores for OT students and PT students on each SEIEL subscale were calculated. For the interprofessional interaction subscale, there was a significant main effect between pretest and posttest scores, with posttest scores higher than pretest scores. There was no difference based on whether they were an OT or PT student. Similarly, there was a significant main effect between pretest and posttest scores on the interprofessional team evaluation and feedback subscale, whereas there was no significant effect based on student discipline. Both OT and PT students reported they gained knowledge about the other profession's role, scope of practice, goals, and evaluation and treatment activities and described the opportunity to plan and problem solve as the most helpful aspect of this learning activity. Their responses indicated that they perceived the greatest learning through the direct hands-on time with the standardized patients and the rest of the time was not valuable as they were just watching. Discussion and Conclusion. Occupational therapy and PT students benefited equally with improved self-efficacy and positive learning outcomes. In a time with many uncertainties in IPE, this study provides evidence that a single, brief learning activity can be beneficial.

Healthcare students' personality traits, readiness for interprofessional learning and self-efficacy for competence in interprofessional collaborative practice - a cross-sectional study.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is being increasingly recognized globally as an essential component of healthcare curricula. Given the limited research on healthcare students’ perceptions of interprofessional learning and collaboration in Saudi Arabia, this quantitative cross-sectional study evaluated the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare students from five colleges (Medicine, Pharmacy, Applied Medical Sciences, Dentistry, and Nursing) across all five years of study toward interprofessional learning and collaboration via the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS). A cross-sectional survey was conducted at five healthcare colleges at Jouf University, Saudi Arabia. A total of 501 students (260 from Medicine, 63 from Pharmacy, 63 from Applied Medical Sciences, 61 from Dentistry, and 54 from Nursing) distributed across years 1–5 completed the validated quantitative questionnaires that used the RIPLS and IEPS. Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, ANOVA with post hoc comparisons, and Pearson’s correlation were employed. Internal consistency was evaluated via Cronbach’s α. The RIPLS scores; measuring readiness for interprofessional learning significantly increased across the academic years, transitioning from the first year (M = 2.86) to the fifth year (M = 4.48; p < 0.001), indicative of increased readiness for interprofessional learning as students progressed. The IEPS scores; measuring perceptions of professional competency and collaboration, peaked during the second and third years but experienced a modest decline in subsequent years (p = 0.018), suggesting evolving professional identity perceptions. Gender differences were significant, with junior male students initially reporting higher scores, whereas senior female students demonstrated stronger teamwork orientation (p = 0.028). A moderate positive correlation was observed between the RIPLS and IEPS scores (r = 0.356, p < 0.001), indicating that students with greater confidence in their profession showed more willingness to engage in interprofessional learning. Both scales demonstrated excellent reliability (RIPLS α = 0.943, IEPS α = 0.914). Healthcare students showed positive attitudes toward interprofessional learning and collaboration, which were influenced by gender and academic progress. The results support the integration of early, sustained, and gender-sensitive interprofessional education within healthcare curricula. Longitudinal and multi-institutional studies preferably using mixed-methods approaches are needed to validate these trends and explore causality.