Students' Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Learning: A Comparison Between Two Universities

Because they will become health professionals of the future, it is important to assess the attitudes of students towards interprofessional education (IPE), as this will impact strongly on the development and delivery of teaching models that educators will use to facilitate IPE. The aim of this study was to examine attitudes towards, and readiness for, IPE of students from eight different undergraduate health disciplines at two Australian universities. METHODS: This cross-sectional study employed a convenience sample of first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year students enrolled in one of eight undergraduate courses from Monash University and Edith Cowan University. Student attitudes to IPE were measured using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale. RESULTS: A total of 1,111 students participated in the study, of whom 81% (n=907) were female. Most were aged 20–24 years (46%, n=518) and enrolled in first year (39%, n=440). Undergraduate paramedic students had the lowest mean scores for both teamwork and collaboration (M=37.41, SD=6.21) and positive-professional-identity (M=15.36, SD=3.10). Statistically significant differences were also noted between age groups and professions. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the emerging body of knowledge in interprofessional learning and provides important data on students' perceptions and readiness for interprofessional learning from an Australian context.