Exploring the Use of an Interprofessional Education Session for Speech-Language Pathology and Pharmacy Students

Interprofessional education (IPE) occurs when students are provided the opportunity to learn with and from others of related professions to improve the potential for future collaboration. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of students about working with professionals from different disciplines before and after their engagement in an interprofessional learning activity and determine any changes in their willingness to work in interprofessional teams. Doctor of Pharmacy students from the University of Manitoba and Master’s speech-language pathology students from McMaster University participated in an online inter-university and inter-provincial education module. Students were invited to complete the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9B) and three open-ended questions to capture attitudes toward interprofessional teams before and after the IPE event. A mixed-method approach was used to assess changes in attitudes, values, and comfort with collaborating. A total of 20 students completed the pre-survey and 19 completed the post-survey; significant changes in total ISVS-9B scores were observed. Four questions of the ISVS-9B also showed significant positive changes after the IPE event. Qualitative themes were identified from responses to the open-ended questions: collaboration optimizes patient care, collaboration is fostered by clear communication, learning from peers increases knowledge and appreciation of professional roles, and IPE fosters the potential for future collaborations. This study suggests that a virtual IPE event tailored to pharmacy and speech-language pathology trainees may be effective in fostering future interdisciplinary collaboration through increasing knowledge and appreciation of other professional roles with a primary goal of optimizing patient care.