Purpose: Interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP) within pre-licensure health education supports professional and interprofessional socialization where understanding of roles, scopes and collaboration are developed. IPECP also promotes interprofessional identity development where students come to embody collaborative skills, attitudes and behaviors that enable collaboration in practice. Medical students are involved in IPECP, however few studies have followed students longitudinally into practice to understand impacts of interprofessional practice experiences on interprofessional identity development and students’ readiness for collaborative practice.
Methods: Interpretive, narrative methodology was used to explore the early experiences of medical graduates within residency/practice and contributions of interprofessional settings to identity development. A sample of eight individuals from a longitudinal study of students from five health professions was used to explore how participants perceive and experience interprofessional collaboration and practice.
Results: For new medical graduates, learning roles and developing an interprofessional identity, is evolved through exposure to interprofessional settings and collaboration in practice. Mentorship from other professionals, role modelling of respectful behaviors and exposure to teamwork in ‘real-time’ are facilitators for developing an interprofessional identity. Prevailing healthcare practice culture, settings, and other professionals are found to influence the level to which socialization and connection can occur. Professional stereotyping and hierarchies are found to be reinforced in healthcare settings, impeding individual’s development of collaborative attitudes, behaviors, and effective teams in practice.
Discussion: This research underscores the importance of IPECP experiences between healthcare professionals to deconstruct misunderstanding and for preparing students for interprofessional collaborative practice. Preparing new physicians to collaborate within interprofessional teams is contingent on the provision of early and sustained IPECP experiences and exposure to interprofessional socialization and collaboration in practice. Our research highlights a need for developing IPECP programming and practice policies that address barriers to collaborative practice and are identified to exist within the context and settings of current healthcare practice. Our findings contribute to understanding the personal, social, and systemic factors within practice settings that enable collaborative interprofessional teams and enhanced health systems.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (National Center OICPD). The National Center OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
The National Center OICPD (JA#: 4008105) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs).
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with their participation.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Athletic Trainers: This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
Learners can claim CE credit by completing the Daily Evaluation.
