title: Knowledge and attitude change in physician assistant students after an interprofessional geriatric care experience: a mixed methods study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine changes in physician assistant (PA) student attitudes and knowledge about interprofessional education (IPE) after participation in a longitudinal community-based curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Second-year PA students participated in an interprofessional geriatrics curriculum. Faculty-facilitated IPE teams met three times and assessed one adult patient longitudinally over 8 months. Attitudes of student participants and their nonparticipating peers (comparison group) were assessed pre- and postcurriculum using the validated Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Reflections submitted by participants after each session were analyzed thematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in RIPLS scores were found compared with baseline for either group; participating students had significantly higher baseline scores compared with nonparticipating students. Qualitative analysis of participant reflections revealed two major themes: "roles and scope of practice of other health professions"; and "applicability of team-based care to practice" with a temporal change in theme pattern over one year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Volunteer student participants had a more positive attitude toward interprofessional learning than nonparticipants. Primary learning occurred about roles of other professions and the value of team-based care. The mixed evaluation methodology allowed examination of attitudes, knowledge, and underlying ("informal" or "hidden") learning.
authors.forename: Freddi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Segal-Gidan
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Désirée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lie
authors.forename: Cha Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lohenry
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students