title: Student perspectives on interprofessional education and experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore students' attitudes, knowledge, experience, and receptiveness to interprofessional education (IPE) in the health sciences.
  
  
  METHODS
  An embedded mixed-method design was used whereby 29 students from 5 health sciences schools (Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work) were administered The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and participated in semi-structured interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quantitative results indicated that there was no significant difference regarding readiness for interprofessional learning among the different academic disciplines. Qualitative interviews identified that students were exposed to two types of interprofessional learning experiences: curricular IPE and clinical interprofessional training (IPT). The majority of interprofessional experiences occurred through internships, student activities, and community service opportunities, not in the classroom. The study findings also uncovered lost opportunities for IPE, characteristics of successful interprofessional learning, and students' personal and organizational barriers to IPE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results have implications for creating and implementing IPE and IPT experiences for students in the health sciences. Specifically, it is important to bring these students together as a collaborative team, both within the classroom and within a clinical setting. This will require a unique type of curriculum and team of instructors.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Cincinnati, 1515 West French Hall, PO Box 210108, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0108, USA. Tel 513-556-4619, fax 513-556-2077. acquavsa@ucmail.uc.edu.
authors.forename: Shauna P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Acquavita
authors.forename: Maya A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pecukonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D058025:Interdisciplinary Studies / Q000592:standards*; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D033241:Lawyers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States