Perception of Interprofessional Learning during an Interprofessional Collaborative Care Pain Clinic Elective: An Embedded Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

A changing landscape of complex medical conditions, in particular chronic pain, incorporates the use of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) to offer holistic patient care. Interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional learning (IPL) provide health professions students with the means of attaining IPC competencies and, furthermore, they catalyze dual professional identity development. This study was designed to explore the manner in which medical students perceive IPL during a clinical elective at an interprofessional pain clinic and whether this exposure led to any change in their favourability for IPL. Fourteen medical students from a variety of Canadian medical schools participated in this embedded mixed methods research study, which included pre- and post-elective surveys and in-person semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric sign testing were performed on the survey data and thematic analysis was utilized for the qualitative interview data. Quantitative analysis revealed that medical students competing this clinical elective were favourable to IPL at both time points and that no significant change occurred following the elective. Thematic analysis led to the description of a model demonstrating the elements contributing to the development of a dual professional identity. This model consisted of three major themes and three overarching moderating and mediating factors. Learning about allied health professionals, learning about how IPC teams function, and recognizing the benefit of IPC were key to gaining IPC competencies in the context of repeated exposure to IPL, active participation, and reflection. In addition, perceptions of IPC specifically related to a pain clinic setting were identified. Future directions include ensuring adequate faculty development for IPC as well as incorporating purposive IPL and facilitated reflection opportunities into clinical rotations.