Exploring Interprofessional Education: Through the values of the students and the eyes of exemplary faculty

Abstract

Interprofessional education (IPE), which “occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes” (World Health Organization, 2010), has become an emerging priority in healthcare education and research. Much of the research focuses on student and program outcomes with minimal consideration about the role of faculty in implementing high quality IPE. This dissertation aims to further understand the qualities, skills, and behaviors necessary for IPE faculty to excel at IPE through two separate yet intertwined studies. Both studies are influenced by the research method Positive Deviance (PD). A case is made for use of PD by comparing and contrasting PD to Appreciative Inquiry. The first quantitate study looked at student’s perceptions of IPE faculty qualities found in the literature. The second study built off the student’s perceptions by draws connections about exemplary IPE faculty from the interviews of 8 IPE faculty members. Together the studies form a picture of what an exemplary IPE faculty member looks like. Concise lists of qualities, skills, and behaviors have been generated and a model of IPE faculty development has been proposed. The addition of this data on IPE faculty supports future work including faculty development and evaluation as well as further research. World Health Organization. (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. Retrieved from Geneva, Switerland: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/ hq/2010/WHO_HRH_HPN_10.3_eng.pdf