title: A virtual patient educational activity to improve interprofessional competencies: A randomized trial.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to determine whether an interprofessional virtual patient educational activity improved interprofessional competencies in pharmacy, physician assistant, and physical therapy graduate students. Seventy-two fifth semester pharmacy (n = 33), fourth semester physician assistant (n = 27) and fourth semester physical therapy (n = 12) graduate students participated in the study. Participants were stratified by discipline and randomized into control (n = 38) and experimental groups (n = 34). At baseline and at study completion, all participants completed an original, investigator-developed survey that measured improvement in selected Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies and the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). The experimental group had statistically significantly greater odds of improving on a variety of IPEC competencies and RIPLS items. The use of a single, interprofessional educational activity resulted in having a greater awareness of other professions' scopes of practice, what other professions have to offer a given patient and how different professions can collaborate in patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Grand Valley State University , Grand Rapids, MI , USA and.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shoemaker
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Voest
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meny
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Victor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000193:education; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000193:education; D000066908:Simulation Training / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Interprofessional education; randomized controlled trial; role clarity; team-based care