Perceptions of interprofessionalism in health professional students participating in a novel community service initiative.

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional collaboration is integral to effective patient care in today's healthcare system. Early exposure to other professions in a hands-on manner during education can be helpful for future practice. However, opportunities for interprofessional education are typically faculty driven and remain limited. Thirty-eight students from different health professions at the University of British Columbia worked collaboratively to promote cardiovascular risk reduction in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Student attitudes toward interprofessionalism were assessed using the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS). While 38 participants (55%) completed the survey prior to participation in this initiative, only 21 individuals completed the follow-up survey After participation, there were significant improvements in the competency and autonomy (p = 0.02) and perception of actual cooperation (p = 0.04). Students did not report any difference in their perceived need for cooperation after participation in the initiative. These results suggest that student-led community service initiatives can be an effective method for interprofessional education amongst health professional students.