Rethinking IPE duration: a five-year comparative analysis of competency development across two introductory IPE course models.

Abstract

Best practices have not yet been established in the interprofessional education (IPE) literature to guide the ideal dose and duration of IPE experiences across the curriculum. As such, the content, structure, and delivery format of IPE offerings vary significantly across institutions. The University of Minnesota had the rare opportunity to evaluate learner-perceived collaborative competency outcomes due to the transition of its centrally offered introductory IPE course. Data were collected consistently, longitudinally, and for a high volume of learners and professions across two IPE course models applied within the same academic institution. Retrospective analysis of pre-post interprofessional collaborative competency scores collected for over 5,000 learners from 17 health profession degree programs demonstrated nearly identical self-reported competency attainment for both a 12- and 4-hour introductory IPE offering, assessed using the ICCAS tool over the course of 5-year format transition. If student-reported competency attainment is the same following an introductory IPE experience regardless of the dosage, then academic IPE programs may be better positioned by decreasing their introductory emphasis and instead focus their resources on exploring innovative workplace-based and competency-based IPE strategies in line with contemporary recommendations. Further studies are needed to explore the implications of and next steps in this line of research.