Is Prior Inter-Professional Experience Associated with Attitudes of Graduate Healthcare Students Toward Inter-Professional Education?

Background: Educational background and students’ preparedness influence interprofessional education (IPE). We studied if healthcare students’ prior exposure to interprofessional collaborations and education influenced their attitudes and readiness for IPE. Methods: Graduate students were surveyed in this cross-sectional study using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Survey (RIPLS). Independent variables included age, gender, type of healthcare program, diversity of clinical observation settings, and previous IPE coursework. Findings: Sixty-eight completed surveys included 60 percent in the 20 to 25-year old group and 78 percent females. Controlling for age and gender, MANCOVA showed no group mean differences in the RIPLS. Conclusions: Students’ attitudes toward IPE are not associated with their professional program, previous IPE coursework, or exposure to interprofessional interactions in diverse clinical observations