title: Making the transition from physiotherapy student to interprofessional team member.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore final-year physiotherapy students' perceptions and experiences of interprofessional learning in the university and placement setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group and mixed qualitative and quantitative questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coventry University.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third-year physiotherapy students at Coventry University.
  
  
  METHODS
  The final-year physiotherapy cohort was invited to complete a questionnaire containing a mix of closed- and open-ended questions. Eight volunteers from the same cohort took part in a focus group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire achieved a response rate of 97% (97/100), and the focus group transcript revealed several themes. The majority of students identified an impact of interprofessional learning on their awareness and understanding of professional roles (74%, 72/97) and issues (71%, 69/97). The students also valued the role of other professionals (63%, 61/97), and recognised the support they could offer (60%, 58/97). These findings were reinforced and developed with respect to interprofessional working in the focus group discussion. Students were aware of increased personal and professional confidence which supported their developing identity as physiotherapists. They also recognised an ability to seek out ways to improve working relationships and to refer patients on to the most appropriate professional. Many students recognised the significance of clinical placements in their interprofessional learning (69%, 67/97), and identified that face-to-face interaction facilitated the social aspect of team working.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interprofessional learning is effective in improving student physiotherapists' awareness of roles, issues and ability to develop collaborative working relationships, thus potentially leading to improved patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Dietetics, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK. k.davies@coventry.ac.uk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Clouder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Earland
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult