title: Students' readiness for and perception of inter-professional learning: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inter-professional education is a critical pedagogical approach aiming at preparing healthcare students for providing patient care in a collaborative team atmosphere.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the readiness for and perception of inter-professional learning and their relationship among healthcare students.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a correlational, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifty undergraduate medical, B.Sc. nursing, and B.Sc. science in surgical technology students participated in this study.
  The samples were selected from the colleges affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences using stratified random sampling.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Readiness for Inter-Professional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) were used to measure the readiness for and perception of inter-professional leaning. The data were analyzed using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent sample T-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total mean scores of readiness for and perception of inter-professional learning were 82.40 (SD=23.16) and 74.04 (SD=14.26), respectively. Besides, the medical students' total mean score of readiness was significantly lower than that of the nursing and science in surgical technology students (F=76.73, P<0.0001). The results showed a significant difference between the current years of study regarding RIPLS and IEPS (P<0.0001). Also, a significant difference was demonstrated among the three fields concerning IEPS and its four subscales. Moreover, the total score of RIPLS was associated with that of IEPS (r=0.43, P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that the medical students had the lowest RIPLS. In addition, the nursing students reported the lowest IEPS; therefore, this group's curriculum is suggested to be revised. For evidence based practice, other studies are recommended to improve inter-professional learning.
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Department of Community Health Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: Zahra_keshtkaran@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Keshtkaran
authors.affiliation: Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: fsharif@sums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Farkhondeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.affiliation: Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Department of Medical Surgical, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: rambodma@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Masoume
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rambod
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D013337:Students, Medical; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Inter-professional learning; Medical students; Perception; Readiness