The Development of an Interprofessional Education (IPE) Faculty Training Course Using Medical Simulations

Abstract

Background:

A research university located in the southeastern United States opened a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary medical simulation center intending to increase IPE among the health profession programs. This study proposed to develop, implement, and evaluate a faculty training program demonstrating how medical simulation could be utilized for IPE. IRB approval for this study was obtained.

Methods:

The training course was developed in two sections: 1) a didactic section covering the definition, history, benefits of IPE and medical simulation, and an exercise in which participants created IPE activities using the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies and 2) participation in a medical simulation conflict resolution case. The course was presented in four different sessions over two months. Each session concluded with a focus group using semi-structured questions probing participant’s pre/ post course IPE perceptions and knowledge. Data analysis included content analysis using deductive and inductive coding of focus groups responses into themes.

Results:

The IPE exercise resulted in the application of IPE competencies to create a variety of potential IPE activities including an IPE journal club, case studies, research and the development of patient education information. The participants found the course to be valuable in terms of clarifying and strengthening their understanding of IPE and simulation, and networking. Participants also expressed increased knowledge in the importance of debriefing exercises, the need to address role assumptions in IPE, the need for psychological safety in medical simulation, and the importance of communication, especially soft skills, with IPE.

Conclusions:

The increased knowledge of IPE and medical simulation, the opportunity to network, the importance of communication, and the need to address role assumptions were consistent with the literature. Participants expanded on issues not addressed in the literature such as the need to incorporate debriefing and psychological safety in activities such as the use of animals and human cadavers, the importance of teaching soft skills in communication such as using layman’s terms with patients and families, and the need to incorporate non-patient caregivers such as pathologists, medical illustrators, and lab technicians as part of patient care teams in medical simulation. The faculty training course and the study will continue.