Interprofessional learning through shadowing: Insights and lessons learned.

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to improve patient outcomes. Interprofessional shadowing improves students' knowledge of different roles and attitudes toward other professionals.

AIM

This study evaluates (1) how pre-clinical medical students describe the roles of the healthcare professionals they shadowed, and (2) whether shadowing can be used to introduce medical students to the benefits of interprofessional collaboration, and if so, in what ways.

METHODS

Second-year medical students shadow another discipline and write a reflection on the shadowed discipline (SD)'s role and collaboration in patient care. A non-proportional stratified random sample of these reflections was coded during an iterative process. Any number of the 13 possible codes could be assigned to each reflection. Codes relevant to the research questions underwent narrative analysis.

RESULTS

The most frequent codes were "specific function of SD" (88%), "SD's general purpose" (86%), and "value of SD's role" (68%). One-third of reflections referenced "communication," and one-third mentioned "teamwork." Insights gained included an appreciation for interprofessional care and a global perspective on patient care, extending beyond the inpatient encounter.

CONCLUSION

Through shadowing, students achieve several IPE core competencies and a broader perspective on patient care. Shadowing is an effective pedagogical method for IPE in the pre-clerkship curriculum.