What Do Fourth-Year Medical Students Gain from Facilitating Anatomical IPE Sessions?

Abstract Body : INTRODUCTION
Interprofessional collaboration is a crucial component of patient care. Within interprofessional teams, physicians are often expected to discern when another health profession should become involved for the betterment of a patient’s care. Therefore, an opportunity for medical students to facilitate interprofessional education (IPE) sessions within an anatomy course for novice health profession (physician assistant, physical therapy, and occupational therapy) students may promote core competencies such as role knowledge, teamwork, and communication.

STUDY AIM
To ascertain if fourth-year medical students perceived serving as a near-peer facilitator for an anatomical IPE intervention: 1) affected interprofessional role comprehension, and 2) fostered additional professional skillsets, such as their perceived ability to describe clinically significant anatomy concepts.

METHODS
In this IRB-approved study, case-based learning (CBL) sessions were integrated throughout an IPE anatomy course for first-year allied health students. Small group discussions of the cases were guided by fourth-year medical students that had been recruited and trained in facilitation. Medical student facilitators were asked to complete a pre-/post-questionnaire with 33 questions pertaining to role knowledge and a post-CBL Likert-style questionnaire on the effectiveness of the CBLs at promoting role comprehension. Medical students that completed both questionnaires were invited to record an audio diary reflection on their experience, guided by five prompts. Audio diary data was coded inductively, then themes pertaining to role knowledge, teamwork, communication, leadership, and articulating anatomical concepts effectively were aggregated.

RESULTS
Across the medical school classes of 2020 and 2021, 15.27% (N=60) served as facilitators for the intervention. Of those facilitators, 28.33% (n=17) completed the post-questionnaire and 82.35% of respondents indicated “Yes” the experience improved their understanding of professional roles. Five of these participants completed audio diaries. The preeminent theme identified was that the CBLs were a “reciprocal education” experience in which more senior facilitators and novice allied health students both learned from each other. Additionally, participants reflected on their enhanced role clarity, the importance of interprofessional teamwork, and their strategies to effectively articulate anatomical information at an appropriate level. All facilitators remarked upon the various ways in which the skills utilized in the CBLs could be translated into clinical practice. Finally, most participants purported the experience impacted their professional development positively.

CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates medical students viewed this anatomically-based, IPE-focused, near-peer facilitator experience as beneficial. The facilitators perceived this experience as conducive to the assimilation of interprofessional role comprehension, cultivation of IPE-related skills, and development of pertinent communication skills such as effectively educating others about clinically relevant anatomy. Implementation of anatomical IPE interventions such as this provide a rare opportunity for medical students to finesse leadership, communication, and teamwork skills which have the potential to better prepare them for their future responsibilities as physicians.