Evaluation of Interprofessional Identity and Attitudes of Family Medicine Residency Students

ABSTRACT Objective: Collaboration among professional disciplines is essential for providing thorough patient-focused care in family medicine. This study sought to assess the interprofessional identities and perspectives of family medicine residents at Süleyman Demirel University in Turkey. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 61 participants from two residency programs: the Family Medicine Residency Program (FMRP) and the Contract Family Medicine Residency Program (CFMRP). The Extended Professional Identity Scale (EPIS-Tr), Dual Identity Scale (DIS-Tr), and Interprofessional Attitude Scale (IPAS-Tr) were used. Results: The average age of the 61 participants was 31.62±6.56 years, with a sex distribution of 48% male and 52% female. FMRP residents were younger and had less work experience than CFMRP residents did. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the EPIS-Tr, DIS-Tr, or IPAS-Tr subscales. Correlation analysis revealed weak to moderate positive correlations between EPIS-Tr and DIS-Tr (r=.32, P=.037), EPIS-Tr and IPAS-Tr (r=.35, P=.021), and DIS-Tr and IPAS-Tr (r=.27, p=.026). All three scales exhibited excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach's α values exceeding .90. Conclusion: The findings indicate that residents of family medicine possess favorable interprofessional identities and attitudes, underscoring the potential to enhance the quality of primary healthcare through collaborative efforts among professionals. To effectively implement interprofessional collaboration in family medicine, it is crucial to develop strategies that address both obstacles and enablers at the system, organizational, interpersonal, and individual levels.