Interprofessional Education for New Health Professions Students: From Primer Pilot to Innovative Foundational Curriculum

Early interprofessional education (IPE) experiences can optimally position students for ongoing interprofessional learning and practice. A team from an academic health center’s newly established Center for Interprofessional Education and Care collaborated to create virtual IPE events for three different health professions programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this session is to describe the virtual IPE “Primer” learning experiences, instructional content, evaluation outcomes, and perspectives of the interprofessional planning group. These events established early integration of virtual IPE within and across programs and led to the development of a more foundational curriculum.
The IPE Primer was implemented at different times with first-year medical (MD), physician assistant (PA), and doctor of physical therapy (DPT) students within the first 2-6 months of their respective program start dates. Learning goals focused on foundational knowledge about collaborative practice, IPE competencies, patient perspectives, and provider roles and responsibilities. Learning experiences consisted of interactive lectures, case-based small group discussion, and interprofessional student and provider panels.
All three programs assessed learner experiences as part of course evaluations and two programs used the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning (RIPLS) survey in retrospective pre-post format. Based on review of data from two programs, students positively rated both instructional content and select learning activities. This session will also report significant findings from two programs about students’ perceptions of attitude change following the events.
The IPE primer events were positively received by learners from three different professions. The event was designed specifically for new students and the virtual platform. The outcomes of the study have informed the design of future co-located IPE events at the institution as well as curricular innovation. This IPE experience may be adopted and adapted by institutions aiming to provide early IPE and incorporate virtual instruction.