Exploring Health Education Students’ Perspectives on Interprofessionalism: Success and Challenges from Experiential Learning

Abstract

There is a growing need for interprofessional education (IPE) in Public Health (PH) programs, as healthcare teams become more diverse and multi-disciplinary. The Bachelor of Science in PH (PH) at Qatar University (QU) in Doha, Qatar, is the only program of its kind in the country. The program has two concentrations: health education and health management. In both program concentrations, students are required to attend IPE training before the start of their experiential learning, where students are placed in a variety of community-based and health care settings including, but not limited to, primary healthcare centers (PHCC). This approach aligns with multiple recommendations from the field suggesting that education in interprofessional collaboration should occur early in the experiential learning program and specifically in undergraduate education when positive attitudes towards interprofessionalism can be shaped. The purpose of this study is to understand how PH students at QU perceive interprofessional care (IPC) during their field experience and to highlight the successes and challenges of that experience. Thematic analysis was conducted on students’ weekly reports (N=36) reflecting on their IPC experience at three different PHCCs in Doha. Analysis of students’ reflection reports revealed that they observed interprofessionalism in communication among health care providers, teamwork and collaboration. Health education students understood where they fit in the team and their own role in IPC in areas such as patient education, behavior change, and patient empowerment. Health management students also reflected on their role in managing patients flow, managing data systems, and managing the communication process among professionals. However, all students were challenged by professionals and patients not recognizing their role as PH specialists. Students felt that patients and the culture of the health care system was not familiar with their role and their contributions to IPC in the primary healthcare setting. Students recommended conducting IPE and training sessions for health care providers to raise awareness about the emerging PH field. Findings address gaps in literature regarding PH specialists’ role in primary health care settings. Additionally, will help support planning for interprofessional education training to enhance collaboration development among health care providers including PH specialists.