The linkage between medical student readiness for interprofessional learning and interest in community medicine

Yusuke Matsuzaka,Tatsuki Ichikawa,Toru Yasutake,Yuko Hamaguchi,Yasuhiro Nagata,Ikue Noguchi,Hiroyuki Ishii,Hiroki Ozawa,Ayako Nishino,Yuji Shiotani,Takahiro Maeda,Sumihisa Honda,Alan Kawarai Lefor,Kumiko Muta,Ikuko Sagara,Sayaka Kuba,Takashi Mine

doi:10.5116/ijme.5f89.83ae

Abstract

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between medical student readiness for interprofessional learning and interest in community medicine prior to incorporating community-oriented interprofessional education into the curriculum. MethodsA questionnaire was administered to students at Nagasaki University School of Medicine in Japan during each of three consecutive years (N=2244). The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered in addition to a questionnaire to evaluate interest in community medicine. The Kruskal-Wallis and Steel-Dwass tests were used to determine differences between school years. Correlation between the RIPLS score and interest in community medicine was evaluated with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Relationships between RIPLS score and demographic parameters, and interest in community medicine were evaluated with multiple linear regression analysis. ResultsEighty-four percent (1891/2244) of students responded. The RIPLS score was highest in school year 1, followed by year 6, year 5, year 3, and years 4 and 2. Interest in community medicine correlated with the RIPLS score (rs = 0.332, p < 0.001), but less in year 1 (rs = 0.125, p = 0.002) than in other years. RIPLS score was significantly associated with gender, age, school year, interest in community medicine, but not the year that the survey was conducted. ConclusionsCommunity-oriented interprofessional education has the potential to improve attitudes towards interprofessional learning. When introducing this promising education into the curriculum from year 1, attracting students' interest in community medicine should be considered.

Highlights

Interprofessional collaboration is essential for healthcare systems due to the recent global shift from the traditional patient-doctor relationship to collaborative and team-oriented approaches to patient care.[1]
This study aims to investigate the readiness of medical students for interprofessional learning over three academic years and the relationship between students' attitudes toward interprofessional learning and their interest in community medicine prior to incorporating community-oriented interprofessional education into the curriculum
We found that the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) score of students in year 1 was highest, followed by year 6, year 5, year 3, year 4, and year 2

Summary

Introduction

Interprofessional collaboration is essential for healthcare systems due to the recent global shift from the traditional patient-doctor relationship to collaborative and team-oriented approaches to patient care.[1] To enhance collaboration in future health care systems, it is necessary to increase exposure to formalized interprofessional education (IPE) across health professions during training. IPE is said to occur "when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care".2. While interprofessional collaboration is an expected competency, many undergraduate healthcare educational programs lack adequate IPE experiences.[3] More recently, medical schools around the world have been incorporating it in various ways in their curricula.[4] questions remain about how and when is best to educate and train students for interprofessional collaboration

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Conclusion