Evaluating interprofessional competency outcomes through integration of team-based interprofessional placements into an interprofessional education curriculum: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to evaluate whether participation in an elective, three-day Team-based interprofessional practice placement (TIPP) programme enhances interprofessional (IP) competency among medical, nursing, and pharmacy students in Japan, and to use the findings for curriculum evaluation. All students had completed a required basic interprofessional education (IPE) programme prior to participating in the TIPP. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students enrolled between 2015 and 2018. The TIPP programme was implemented as an elective component, with recruitment methods differing by school due to differences in each school’s curriculum: nursing students who selected the TIPP programme as part of their final clinical practice were included; while medical and pharmacy students were recruited during clinical clerkships. Interprofessional competency was measured using the Chiba Interprofessional Competency Scale (CICS29), a validated self-report measure, at the time of graduation. Two-way ANOVA was performed with TIPP attendance as the main factor of interest. Bonferroni correction was applied for multiple comparisons. Of the 965 students, 695 (72%) completed the CICS29, of whom 87 (13%) attended the TIPP. There was no significant interaction between TIPP attendance and school (p = 0.15) and no significant main effect of TIPP attendance overall (p = 0.12). However, post hoc comparisons showed that nursing students who attended TIPP had significantly higher total scores compared with those who did not (4.18 vs. 3.93). No significant main effect of TIPP participation was observed in the overall analysis, but post hoc analysis identified significantly higher CICS29 scores in nursing students, suggesting potential educational benefits. Given the short duration of the current TIPP programme and differences in the interval between TIPP participation and CICS29 measurement, future revisions should focus on extending the programme and ensuring consistent opportunities for all students to engage in authentic interprofessional learning.