Impact of Early Implementation of Experiential Education on the Development of Interprofessional Education Knowledge and Skill Competencies.

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education (IPE) is most effective when delivered as an experiential continuum. When to initiate IPE to undergraduate college students is unclear. This pilot project developed, implemented, and evaluated an IPE modular project introducing Interprofessional Communication and Teams and Teamwork IPE competencies to first-year allied health professions undergraduate students. METHODS: Students (n=127) were divided into two groups such that five different health science majors were represented in each. One group participated in an experiential 4-part IPE modular program, and one did not. Module components consisted of: a) an online IPE component; b) structured in-class IPE activities and discussion; c) an IPE CPR training course emphasizing communication, conflict resolution, and collaborative practice techniques; and d) an IPE CPR simulation with reflective debriefing session. Both groups' self-efficacy and confidence regarding targeted Interprofessional Communication and Teams and Teamwork IPE competencies were assessed at the same timepoints pre- and post-module using standardized Likert scale surveys. RESULTS: Results indicated a positive impact on modular group students' perception of changes in their interprofessional knowledge and skills compared with non-modular group students such that post-module students' self-efficacy and confidence ratings were both significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: First-year allied health professions undergraduates benefit from experiential IPE targeting foundational communication and teamwork skills.

Personal Narrative: Raising Awareness of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors in Similarly Aged University Students.

Purpose: As part of a programmatic educational initiative, we developed a personal narrative presentation, embedded with evidence-based data, to raise awareness of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who have been diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15 and 39 years among similarly aged university students. The narrative encompassed the cancer care continuum from signs of the disease through survivorship and incorporated psychosocial aspects of the experience. Methods: The presenter, diagnosed with lymphoma at the age of 25 years in 2007, interwove AYA data with her narrative in a series of 26 invited lectures given over 2 academic years, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. Students were asked to provide anonymous open-ended feedback. Six hundred thirteen forms were collected and retrospectively dually coded and analyzed. Results: The majority of students (97%) referenced at least one of the presentation's three objectives: (1) build awareness of the AYA demographic; (2) encourage a personal health care focus; and (3) expand awareness of the far-reaching impact of cancer (i.e., psychological, social, and medical) both during and beyond the treatment phase. Format- and/or content-related suggestions and potential benefits of hearing the narrative also were reported. Conclusion: The use of personal narrative to raise awareness of the AYA cancer experience in an academic setting is both feasible and effective. Students demonstrated a new or enhanced understanding of AYA cancer and its biopsychosocial implications. We provide evidence to inform the design of awareness interventions directed at similarly aged university students.