Changes in Attainment of Interprofessional Competencies Following Health Screenings of Individuals Who Are Unhoused in an Urban Setting: A Pilot Study

Healthcare students must be prepared to work with vulnerable populations. Because of the complexity of these individuals, an interprofessional approach is crucial. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an interprofessional service-learning experience on students' self-reported attainment of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies. Thirteen students (physical therapy and pharmacy) participated in the experience and completed the full pre and post Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Scale (ICCAS). After participating in the experience, students showed a statistically significant improvement in 17 of the 20 items on the ICCAS. Of those 17 items, 14 exceeded the minimal detectible change. Participation in a single interprofessional experience improved students' self-reported score of attainment of the IPEC core competencies.