Interprofessional learning: learning gain and change of attitude in first semester medical students / Interprofessionelles Lernen: Lernzuwachs und Einstellungsänderung bei Medizinstudierenden im 1. Semester

Abstract

Abstract Background The competence and willingness of physicians to work in interprofessional teams is important for the quality of patient care. To train this competence, the integration of interprofessional learning into undergraduate medical curricula is recommended by experts. This study analyses how a single interprofessional teaching course impacts on medical students’ learning gain and change of attitude towards interprofessional collaboration. Method With a questionnaire study in a pre/post design, the learning gain of five learning goals were analyzed. For analyzing change of attitude towards interprofessional collaboration, the “Readiness for interprofessional learning scale” was used in a German translation (RIPLS-D). 71 interprofessionally taught medical students were compared to 227 monoprofessionally taught medical students. In addition, the subjective impressions of the course were analyzed qualitatively by free text answers. Results Four out of five learning goals show no differences in the extent of learning gain between inter- and monoprofessionally taught groups. The group comparison shows a change of attitude towards interprofessional collaboration for the interprofessionally taught group. The free text responses show positive feedback on the course and suggest good acceptance of interprofessional learning. Discussion The present study is evidence of a positive impact of interprofessional teaching on medical students’ willingness towards interprofessional collaboration. In addition, medical students express a good acceptance for interprofessional learning. In order to detect long-term effects on health care practice, conditions for long-term testing of interprofessional teaching should be established in undergraduate medical curricula.