Student Perceptions of Integrating Interprofessional Education and Overcoming Barriers: A Case Report

Abstract

Context Health care education programs require interprofessional education (IPE) as a curricular requirement to prepare students for collaborative practice upon entrance to the field of health care. However, there are still barriers to integrating IPE, and there is a need for more research regarding athletic training student perceptions and learning from IPE education and how program faculty can overcome barriers to IPE. Objective The purpose of this case report is to examine how program faculty have overcome barriers to IPE within a professional-level, master’s degree–granting athletic training program (ATP) at a small liberal arts institution in the Midwestern United States. In addition, we investigated the students’ perceptions of IPE. Design We examined one ATP and how specific barriers to IPE were overcome, and student perceptions of IPE. Intervention(s) The ATP program faculty developed relationships with 3 different disciplines to develop and host 3 separate workshops. Collaborative workshops were designed with physician assistant, graduate mental health counseling, and undergraduate social work programs. We used the Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey as a pre- and post-workshop assessment for student perceptions and learning. Results All participants reported higher scores after each workshop with no significant differences between the disciplines. Initial results from each workshop revealed no student benefited more than any of the other students. In addition, program faculty were able to overcome common barriers to achieve planned IPE within the ATP curriculum. Conclusions Health care is a collaborative field, and to ensure patients receive the best care possible, health care students must be educated in collaborative practice. While barriers exist to integrating IPE into health care education programs, faculty who collaborate with one another can overcome these barriers to develop meaningful IPE.