Student Learning in an Interprofessional Peer Shadowing Activity Embedded in an IPE Curriculum: An Aotearoa New Zealand Ethnographic Case Study

Background Shadowing is described as an interprofessional education (IPE) learning activity where a student of one discipline shadows a registered health professional or student of another discipline. To date, research examining the educational effectiveness of the shadowing learning activity has largely focused on students shadowing registered health professionals. This study explores if and what students learn, and the factors that influence their learning, when they shadow students from other disciplines. Methods This ethnographic, case study observational research used indepth analysis to undertake a fine-grained examination of interprofessional learning gained through student’s peer shadowing of each other in a 5-week IPE programme in a rural setting. Results Both the students who were shadowing and students who were being shadowed were observed to learn in the activity and this learning was multifaceted. It included learning about another discipline’s roles, skills and philosophies and the different training programmes, as well as personal and professional concerns and also wider aspects of health care. Peer teaching resulted in active and sometimes reciprocal learning and students were for the most part confident and enthusiastic. Conclusions Peer shadowing involving senior students of different disciplines where interaction and social engagement occur, promotes meaningful and comprehensive interprofessional learning, including enhancing understanding of interprofessional collaboration as well as other aspects of professional and social practice. It is important for educators to prebrief the students about the goals of peer shadowing and advise them to prepare themselves for the learning activity, but once done, incorporating peer shadowing within IPE curricula provides an effective learning activity in which all students benefit.