Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of an interprofessional workshop between physical therapy and medical students

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important component of medical education, preparing students for the collaboration necessary for high-quality patient care. This study aimed to compare IPE readiness in pre-qualification physical therapy (PT) and medical (MD) students before and after an interprofessional workshop and identify factors influencing the workshop’s perceived educational value. In two consecutive years, students were surveyed with the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) following a four-hour, case-based workshop. During the second year, students were also surveyed before the workshop and answered open-ended questions about its educational value. PT and MD students had similar mean pre-workshop RIPLS scores (83.0, SD 5.3 vs. 80.7, SD 7.9; p = .27), but post-workshop scores were higher among PT students (86.3, SD 6.5 vs. 80.3, SD 8.8; p < .001). Qualitative thematic analysis of responses to open-ended questions revealed students valued IPE within the workshop. However, MD students in particular identified improvement opportunities in workshop delivery, timing, and content. These factors undermined the perceived educational value for MD students and may have contributed to their lower post-workshop RIPLS scores. This study suggests that a brief workshop can improve readiness for IPE among pre-professional students and highlights the importance of content, delivery, and timing to IPE success.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional education
• interprofessional learning
• medical education
• physical therapy education
• collaboration
• shared problem solving

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Terin T. Sytsma

Terin T. Sytsma is an Instructor of Medicine in Community Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

David A. Krause

David A. Krause is an Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

John H. Hollman

John H. Hollman is a Professor of Physical Therapy, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Andrea N. Leep Hunderfund

Andrea N. Leep Hunderfund is an Assistant Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Karen L. Newcomer

Karen L. Newcomer, MD is an Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota