Interprofessional Education Research Articles

Rewarding interprofessional education: Designing and implementing an IPEP Distinguished Scholars Program

The Interprofessional Education and Practice Distinguished Scholar (IPEP DS) program was developed to reward students who go ‘above and beyond’ required interprofessional education and practice events. IPEP Distinguished Scholars (IPEP DS) must participate in at least two semesters of activities outside of their required IPEP coursework, serve on an interprofessional committee, and complete an interprofessional immersion experience. Following completion of these activities, students compose a reflection essay about their learning and experiences and ultimately receive transcript distinction, cords to wear at graduation, and a Credly™ badge (digital credentialing). This article provides an overview of the design of this program and outcomes for replication at other institutions.

Patient safety education in Umm Al-Qura dental school: A comprehensive analysis of curriculum content and student confidence

BackgroundPatient safety (PS) is a critical component in dental education, yet it is not clear how dental schools include PS education in their curricula. AimTo assess how PS topics are presented in the current Umm Al-Qura undergraduate dental (UQUDENT) curriculum and to investigate the self-perceptions of dental students regarding the PS confidence they have attained from their dental program. MethodThe UQUDENT curriculum was mapped using keywords developed from the WHO PS manual. Courses contained intended learning outcomes (ILOs), and lecture topics were identified and ranked based on the level of PS content. In addition, dental students and interns were asked to fill in a modified version of the Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey. ResultsA total of 73.2% of the courses included ILOs or topics related to PS. Keywords related to the teamwork topic were the most common (60.9%), followed by patient engagement (24.3%), medication safety (12.2%), and infection control (9.8%). None of the courses included items on overall PS concepts, understanding systems, or quality improvement in relation to PS.Dental students were most confident in their learning regarding clinical safety and effective communication. They were least confident in what they learned about teamwork with other health professionals. There were no statistically significant differences in PS domain scores between classroom and clinical learning. ConclusionThe UQUDENT curriculum covers many aspects of PS. However, the PS content should be explicitly taught and assessed. Areas such as interprofessional education, clinical risk management, learning from errors, and teamwork should be augmented.

Exploring worldwide training pathways that enable clinical pharmacy career development

BackgroundPharmaceutical education is crucial for preparing pharmacists for evolving professional practice. The clinical component of pharmaceutical education and practice has grown and improved globally, though its implementation varies. Training pathways for clinical pharmacy careers vary worldwide. ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore training pathways enabling career development in clinical pharmacy. MethodsIn-depth interviews on clinical pharmacy career development were conducted with a purposive sample of academic and practice experts from thirteen countries, selected based on a prior literature review. Interviews were recorded following participants’ consent, transcribed verbatim, thematically analyzed by one researcher, and verified by a second. Disagreements were resolved through discussion with a third researcher. ResultsIn ten of the analyzed countries, the competencies required to perform clinical activities were considered the foundation of the pharmacy profession, suggesting that undergraduate education is sufficient to perform clinical pharmacy activities.Reported training-related success factors associated with the development of a career in clinical pharmacy included: interprofessional education, focus on the health context of each country, ensuring students’ readiness, practice site partnerships, patient-centricity and patient contact, good mentorship and preceptorship, time and work flexibility of the candidates, effective training evaluation and, financial support for training. Conversely, shortage of mentors and teachers with clinical practice experience, slow responsiveness of the regulatory environment, insufficient funding, resistance to change, and education-practice mismatch were identified as training-related constraints. ConclusionClinical activities form the foundation of the pharmacy profession in most countries, and undergraduate education directly provides the skills to undertake these, even though optional postgraduate education may be pursued. Understanding existing training pathways, including success factors and implementation challenges, can inform the creation, development, and optimization of education for clinical pharmacy careers.

Interprofessional Care: An Approach to Enhance Care for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders by Enhancing Interprofessional Competencies

BackgroundInterprofessional practice is an essential component of healthcare delivery, addressing health conditions requiring multidisciplinary approach. An interprofessional team working together, utilizing the skills and interprofessional competencies is needed to perform the function seamlessly. Interprofessional education is therefore essential to develop a “practice-ready workforce”. AimThis study is aimed at designing and validating an interprofessional education module to integrate interprofessional competencies among students to care for children with autism. MethodsQuasi-experimental study done among 49 students. Module was prepared using scientific methods and implemented. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires and observation checklist. Using the mean, frequency and percentage, and t-test, data were analyzed. ResultsThere was increase in the knowledge (pretest mean 9.43±2.92; post-test mean 12.27±2.98) and competency (pretest mean 76.98±7.55; post-test mean 91.88±5.31) scores with moderately positive correlation between knowledge and competencies (p≥0.05). The study aligned with promotion of Sustainable Developmental Goals 3 “good health and well-being”, 4 “quality education” and 17 “partnerships for the goals”. ConclusionStudy showed that the prepared module was successful in improving the interprofessional competencies of students.

Congestive Heart Failure and Interprofessional Education: A sample plan to meet challenging CRDNs and promote interprofessional education

Congestive Heart Failure and Interprofessional Education: A sample plan to meet challenging CRDNs and promote interprofessional education

RECOMMENDATIONS TO DEVELOP TEACHING METHODS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES

The rapid advancements in medical sciences necessitate continuous updates in teaching methods to ensure that healthcare professionals are adequately prepared to meet the demands of modern medicine. Traditional lecture-based teaching, though foundational, is increasingly supplemented by innovative pedagogical strategies designed to enhance student engagement, critical thinking, and practical skills. This paper outlines key recommendations for developing effective teaching methods in medical sciences, emphasizing the integration of technology, active learning, and interprofessional education. First, the incorporation of simulation-based learning and virtual reality can provide immersive, hands-on experiences, allowing students to practice clinical skills in a safe, controlled environment. Second, the use of problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based discussions promotes critical thinking and clinical reasoning, shifting the focus from rote memorization to the application of knowledge in real-world scenarios. Third, flipped classrooms—where students engage with theoretical content before class and use classroom time for discussion and problem-solving—foster active learning and student-centered education. Additionally, incorporating interprofessional education encourages collaboration among medical, nursing, and allied health students, reflecting the team-based approach required in modern healthcare settings. Finally, continuous assessment and feedback, facilitated by digital tools, allow for personalized learning pathways and early identification of knowledge gaps, enabling targeted interventions. In conclusion, adopting a multi-faceted approach to teaching in medical sciences—one that embraces technology, active learning, and collaborative education—can improve both the learning experience and the competency of future healthcare professionals. These recommendations aim to produce graduates who are not only knowledgeable but also skilled in critical thinking, decision-making, and teamwork, ultimately improving patient care outcomes.

An Interprofessional Education Activity for Dietetic, Pharmacy, and Speech-language Pathology Students

An Interprofessional Education Activity for Dietetic, Pharmacy, and Speech-language Pathology Students

Longitudinal Interprofessional Education in Undergraduate Health Profession Education: A Scoping Review Protocol

Interprofessional education (IPE) is essentially applied in the medical professions curriculum to produce graduates ready for collaborative practice. Globally, competency frameworks and guidelines have been developed to guide the integration and implementation of IPE into formal curriculum. Developing student competencies to become collaborative-ready health professionals takes a long time. This is also influenced by the formation and development of an interprofessional team’s maturity, which is a time-consuming process. Therefore, repetitive exposure to interprofessional learning throughout the curriculum (longitudinal education) should be implemented, since undergraduate level. This scoping review aims to explore the breadth of the longitudinal literature related to IPE. This article explores the global literature to identify, characterise, and summarise evidence from the published literature on longitudinal IPE. This scoping review considers the longitudinal activities of IPE in various contexts. The papers included report on the learning experiences of two or more types of students in a healthcare profession programme. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the scoping review guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect databases were searched. The results were limited to papers published in the English language from 2016 to the present. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts, and extracted data from the full-text articles. The results are presented descriptively in diagrams, tables, or other relevant formats, followed by narrative summaries.

Health professional students’ emotional responses to effective and ineffective teamwork

Introduction: Pre-registration students learn interprofessional competencies for effective teamwork through interprofessional education (IPE), yet they do not always see effective teamwork in the clinical workplace or experience it in IPE learning activities. In this study, we explored: (1) what students recall of experiences of interprofessional teamwork interactions in workplace settings or in IPE learning activities and (2) what and how they describe the emotion attached to these experiences. Methods: A pre- and post-test survey design was used, which included qualitative questions administered before and after a clinical workplace-based cancer and life-limiting illness IPE activity for two cohorts of students. We surveyed students about teamwork experiences in both workplace and IPE learning activities and how they felt about them emotionally. A content and thematic analysis was undertaken, the latter using a process adapted from Attride-Stirling (2001). Results: For the before-IPE responses, 31 out of 50 students in the two cohorts responded (62%), and for the after-IPE responses, 29 out of 50 in the two cohorts responded (58%). There were two global themes: (1) students readily recognise both effective and ineffective teamwork and (2) ineffective teamwork experiences can evoke strong emotional responses. Conclusion: Students’ emotional responses from being involved in or observing effective and ineffective teamwork may influence their future engagement in interprofessional teamwork and IPE activities.

Readiness for Interprofessional Education Among Health Profession Students at a Nigerian University: A Cross-sectional Study

The implementation and sustainability of interprofessional education (IPE) depends substantially on the readiness of healthcare students. This study assessed the readiness of undergraduate healthcare students in Nigeria with regard to interprofessional practice. A cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of 300 students from a public university was conducted using a 19-item tool. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics, while differences in readiness based on students’ gender, year of study and course of study were identified using inferential statistics. The majority of the students who responded to the questionnaires (55%) were from the fifth year and had a mean age of 24.5 years old. Most of them were from Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy (33% each). The overall median score of 80 (out of 95) showed a high readiness score among the students. A significant difference was observed in the case of the gender of the respondents as to the roles and responsibilities score (p = 0.001). Furthermore, a significant difference was observed with regard to the course of study of the respondents and their professional identity score (p = 0.012). A post hoc analysis showed a p-value of 0.007 between medicine and pharmacy students, indicating that the respondents’ professional identity had a strong influence on their readiness to practice IPE. The total score was not significantly different in all the other scenarios. Healthcare students in Nigeria are ready to undertake and showed positive attitudes towards IPE; therefore, IPE should be integrated into undergraduate healthcare professions curricula to help improve attitudes towards interprofessional practice.

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction with Sports and Recreational Services in Southwestern Nigeria Federal Universities

Objective: Feedback literacy is a fundamental skill in education that supports academic success, personal growth, and the development of lifelong learning skills. It improves the educational experience by encouraging a culture of improvement and effective communication. Feedback literacy enhances students' learning by leveraging their ability to evaluate feedback. This research analyzes articles on Feedback Literacy using Bibliometric Analysis to explore topic development and research potential. Method: descriptive research that Bibliometric Analysis processes. Results: 106 articles on feedback literacy from 2012 to 2022 were mined from Database Scopus, with the United Kingdom being the leading country contributing to this topic. The most active authors are Paul Sutton and David Carless. The latest trends in feedback literacy are associated with self-assessment, student engagement, socio-material aspects, and interprofessional education. Novelty: The novelty in exploring articles related to feedback literacy is the research associated with individual differences in learning, as each student always desires to be treated differently, especially when receiving feedback and giving feedback to another classmate.

The Road to Better Assessment: Unleashing the Potential of Feedback Literacy Through Bibliometric Analysis in Education

Objective: Feedback literacy is a fundamental skill in education that supports academic success, personal growth, and the development of lifelong learning skills. It improves the educational experience by encouraging a culture of improvement and effective communication. Feedback literacy enhances students' learning by leveraging their ability to evaluate feedback. This research analyzes articles on Feedback Literacy using Bibliometric Analysis to explore topic development and research potential. Method: descriptive research that Bibliometric Analysis processes. Results: 106 articles on feedback literacy from 2012 to 2022 were mined from Database Scopus, with the United Kingdom being the leading country contributing to this topic. The most active authors are Paul Sutton and David Carless. The latest trends in feedback literacy are associated with self-assessment, student engagement, socio-material aspects, and interprofessional education. Novelty: The novelty in exploring articles related to feedback literacy is the research associated with individual differences in learning, as each student always desires to be treated differently, especially when receiving feedback and giving feedback to other classmates

Interactive Support in The Tambak Wedi Village Area of Surabaya City to Avoid Stunting

ABSTRACT Stunting remains a serious challenge for Indonesian society. The 2018 basic health research reported that the prevalence of stunting among toddlers reached 30.8%. The impact of stunting is not only on physical growth but also on cognitive development and the risk of diseases in adulthood. Community service plays a crucial role in supporting government efforts to address stunting through nutrition education, infant and child feeding practices, sanitation, hygiene, and family economic empowerment. Based on this, the involvement of higher education institutions is necessary to improve public health through an approach of interprofessional collaboration and interprofessional education designed in community service activities that focus on empowering communities through integrative assistance. This community service is carried out in 2024, located in Tambak Wedi Village, Surabaya. The activities conducted include training and assistance in the production of processed foods based on moringa leaves and fish, health education on healthy living behaviors, guidance on parenting and breastfeeding/MPASI, training for early detection of high-risk pregnancies for families, and checking hemoglobin and protein levels for pregnant women in a state of chronic energy deficiency who receive supplementary feeding based on moringa leaves and fish. At the beginning of the community service activities, the results of health and laboratory examinations were as follows: several mothers were found to have a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) below 23.5 cm, which may indicate a risk of chronic energy deficiency (CED). Pregnant women were still found with hemoglobin levels below 11 g/dL, indicating anemia during pregnancy. Additionally, protein levels in pregnant women were found to be 6.2 g/dL, and there was one stunted child and seven children in a pre-stunting condition. Following up on the results of the initial health examination, interventions were carried out for pregnant women with chronic energy deficiency and toddlers at risk of stunting by providing snacks made from moringa and fish for two weeks. The Surabaya Hebat cadres also received a refresher on early detection screening for high-risk pregnant women INDEX TERMS Stunting, Moringa leaves and fish, Tambak Wedi

Improving Healthcare in South Texas Rural Communities: An Interprofessional Initiative for Primary Care Dental and Medical Residents.

To enhance primary care dentistry and medicine residents' didactic knowledge, communication skills to address patient's healthcare needs, and collaboration among healthcare professionals, while increasing confidence in integrating primary care skills into their clinical practice. An Interprofessional Education workshop was organized to enhance didactic knowledge and learning of 42 primary care dentistry (PCD) and family and community medicine (FCM) residents on topics including addressing facial and dental trauma in adults, managing patients with alcohol use and abuse, pain control and prescription opioid use in dentistry, and opioid use disorder and treatment. An online survey was administered before and after the workshop to assess changes in knowledge, confidence, and future intentions to incorporate targeted primary care skills learned during the workshop into clinical practice and to elicit residents' perceptions of workshop quality. Overall scale means were assessed by chi-square tests for knowledge scales and analysis of variance for confidence and career intentions scales, significance levels were set at 0.05. Pre-workshop assessments were completed by all attendees while post assessments received a response rate of 83.3%. Both PCD and FCM residents reported an increase in their knowledge (p<0.05) and confidence (p<0.05) in providing care for patients with facial/dental trauma, identifying signs of opioid abuse, addressing alcohol abuse, and understanding the referral processes following the workshop. While an overall increase was noted regarding intentions to incorporate skills learned during the workshop into practice by the PCD (pre-course=4.33, post-course=4.42) and FCM (pre-course=4.55, post-course=4.73) residents, the differences were not statistically significant differences. The interprofessional education workshop for PCD and FCM residents enhanced their knowledge, confidence, and future intentions to incorporate primary care skills into clinical practice and improve patient outcomes.

Dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding interprofessional collaboration with physical therapists.

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between dentists and physical therapists (PT) could improve access to patient treatment and oral care outcomes. This study aimed to assess dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of IPC with PT. The study design included a 16-question online survey sent to dentists (n=102) at a university in fall 2022 via SurveyMonkey. This survey evaluated dentists' knowledge of PT services and IPC referrals, awareness of PT IPC improving oral health and continuing education (CE) opportunities, and attitudes toward team care. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Chi-squared tests. Participants included general dentists (71.2%) and dental specialists (28.8%), with experience ranging from 1-5 years through 55+ years. Gender distribution included approximately 46.2% female and 53.8% male, with a survey response rate of 51.0% (n=52). Females reported a significantly higher interest in PT IPC (p=0.016) and referring (p=0.022) than males. Dentists in practice for 21-40 years reported significantly higher participation in CE referral courses compared to other groups (p=0.011). Compared to dental specialists, general dentists had a significantly more positive attitude when asked if dental collaboration with PT and physicians is equally important (p=0.001). Additionally, 78.8% of respondents reported interest in attending a CE course on interprofessional education. This study demonstrated dentists' limited awareness of the PT interprofessional collaborative approach. Females and general dentists reported higher positive attitudes toward PT IPC relationships. Most dentists were interested in attending additional IPC training.

Student perspectives on designing and implementing an interprofessional education module in chronic disease management at primary care level in Vietnam

PurposeThis study explored students' perspectives on designing and implementing the new clinical interprofessional education (IPE) module for chronic disease management at the primary care level in the Vietnamese context.Design/methodology/approachStudents from seven different university-level healthcare programmes participated in a cross-sectional survey Course Experience Questionnaire-based study. Additionally, two open-ended questions were presented to gather qualitative data, mapping student perspectives. Statistical analyses and thematic analyses were performed.FindingsThe results show that students agree with quality statements about IPE design features, such as good teaching, clear goals and standards, appropriate workload, appropriate assessment and a blended learning approach. Answers to the open-ended comments pointed out the strengths of the IPE module in providing opportunities for interprofessional learning, improving interprofessional collaboration competencies, real-life interprofessional collaboration practice and continuous feedback from tutors. Students also reported weaknesses in the IPE module, including a lack of feedback on the care plan and logistics of the IPE module.Originality/valueStudents positively recognise key design features of the IPE module, combining classroom activities with standardised patient simulations, clinical practice and home visits. Chronic disease management at the primary care level is a suitable context for training students to work interprofessionally. The strengths and weaknesses identified by students could help in the redesign and future implementation of the IPE module in the Vietnamese context. They could inspire practices in Southeast Asian medical education and beyond.

Development and evaluation of an EMP course to teach fMRI technology and brain science in handwriting for university nursing students

In traditional nursing education, brain science is often limited to physiology, anatomy, and pathology, with little emphasis on advanced diagnostic tools like fMRI or the brain’s functional processes, such as language learning and handwriting. This study developed an English for Medical Purposes (EMP) course to teach university nursing students about fMRI technology and brain science related to handwriting, highlighting the importance of interprofessional education. The study aimed to (a) assess the course’s effectiveness in enhancing students’ knowledge in fMRI, brain science, and handwriting; and (b) evaluate the students’ satisfaction and perceptions toward the course. A single-group quasi-experimental design with pre/post-tests involved 49 nursing students. Data were collected using the Brain Science Related Knowledge Test (BSKT), assignments, and a Course Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ). Results showed significant improvements in students’ knowledge of fMRI and brain science in handwriting, with high assignment scores and overall course satisfaction. Students also reported increased awareness of reading professional English journals and learned about fMRI safety issues. This pioneering EMP course effectively introduced nursing students to fMRI technology and brain science in handwriting, potentially enhancing their understanding of normal brain function and its contrast with brain injury cases.

A longitudinal study of interprofessional education experiences among health professional graduates.

Effective teamwork and collaboration among health professionals is a well-recognized strategy toward enhancing patient outcomes. However, there is a lack of understanding on how to best prepare health professionals for collaborative practice. The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of how graduates of five health professions (dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy) perceive and experience interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP) throughout their health professions journey, with a focus on transition to practice. This longitudinal study employed an interpretive, narrative methodology to understand interprofessional identity development of 24 individuals who had recently graduated from a health professions program (dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy) at a Canadian university. Participant experiences were analyzed using narrative analysis. Participants' narratives provided insight into the context, factors and curricular experiences needed for interprofessional identity development and preparedness for collaborative practice. Participants identified the importance of socialization and connection with others, collaborative role models and exposure to collaborative experiences and settings for interprofessional practice. Participants expressed some dissatisfaction with their earliest IPECP experiences and most valued their exposure to 'real-life' practice examples and clinical scenarios. Participants desired more authentic experiences of interprofessional collaboration during their programs. Improving health professionals' interprofessional socialization and collaborative experiences within IPECP is critical to improving patient outcomes. Study findings can inform future curricula and IPECP strategies that create conditions to enhance collaborative practice and ensure the preparedness of a future health workforce with a strong collaborative identity.

Interprofessional Coproduction of Diagnosis with Medical and Pharmacy Students: An Interactive Case-Based Workshop.

The Institute of Medicine and national competencies emphasize the importance of interprofessional education to reduce diagnostic error. Clinical pharmacists are increasingly integrated into clinical teams and participate in the diagnostic process. However, few educational resources explicitly teach medical and pharmacy students to collaborate on the production of diagnoses. We implemented a 2-hour, online, case-based workshop with 154 second-year medical students and third-year pharmacy students. After brief didactics on the diagnostic process and scope of practice of pharmacists, small groups of eight to 12 medical and pharmacy students with faculty facilitators worked through a case unfolding in two aliquots. Students were provided different but complementary information authentic to their profession. They had to communicate with each other to develop an appropriate differential diagnosis. Students then reflected on how communicating with the other profession impacted their diagnostic reasoning. Comments were coded and counted. The majority (99%) of students identified their data gathering and differential diagnoses were impacted by working through the case together. More pharmacy students commented on how medical students broadened their differential diagnosis (71%) and added information (72%), contextualizing information, such as past history, medication indications, and physical exam data. More medical students commented on how pharmacy students helped justify (54%) and clarify (22%) the differential diagnosis, often connecting the underlying mechanism of medications with clinical findings. This interactive case-based workshop was effective in teaching medical and pharmacy students to collaborate in the coproduction of diagnosis. It is feasible with minimal resources.

Clinical Laboratory Science and Physician Assistant Students Interprofessional Education Event; Learning From Each Other

Clinical Laboratory Science and Physician Assistant Students Interprofessional Education Event; Learning From Each Other