Readiness for interprofessional education amongst students at public and private Medical Universities in Malaysia

Abstract

Background and Aims: Interprofessional Education (IPE) is a vital academic blueprint for preparing future doctors to provide patient-centered collaborative approach to care best integrated health services. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness and readiness of Malaysian medical students towards interprofessional education. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study carried out using a questionnaire survey: The Readiness of Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). A convenience sampling method was employed. The sample was drawn from undergraduate students enrolled in year 1 to 5 of medical program in two medical universities. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The RIPLS was completed by 361 medical students who valued the importance of IPE. The students mentioned that shared learning with other healthcare professional students will increase their ability to understand clinical problems. The students also specified that team-working skills are essential for all healthcare students to learn. However, there were differences between students of different years of study in their perception and readiness toward IPE. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that undergraduate-health-care students have high perception and readiness towards IPE, however important differences in baseline readiness emerged according to year-level. These findings suggest that educators consider baseline attitudes of students when designing interprofessional education curricula. The implication of this awareness and readiness to practice IPL will create a more concert and harmony workspace to the healthcare professionals.     Keywords: Interprofessional education, Interprofessional learning, readiness, RIPLS, medical education