Health Professions Students' Teamwork Before and After an Interprofessional Education Co-Curricular Experience

Abstract

Background: Effective interprofessional collaboration may positively impact clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. However, educational silos and discipline-specific socialization have reinforced each health profession’s independent values, attitudes, and problem-solving approaches.Methods and Findings: Students’ (N = 376) attitudes about teamwork were measured with the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale, Teamwork, Roles, and Responsibilities subscale using a pretest-posttest design. Experiential learning strategies and a case study approach were used to introduce students to the roles and responsibilities of the students’ disciplines. There was a positive mean difference in pretest-posttest measures (p < .001) with a moderate effect size (r = .27).Conclusions: Providing opportunities for pre-licensure health sciences students to understand the roles and responsibilities of other disciplines through IPE co-curricular learning can enhance positive attitudes toward teamwork.