Making a Case for Multimodal IPE: Developing a Competency-Based Interprofessional Curriculum for Health Professions Learners at Rural Campuses

PurposeThe purpose of this 4-year study was to explore the efficacy of a multimodal interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that was developed for learners at rural campuses.MethodsOver the study period, participants included 113 learners and 7 faculty facilitators from 4 degree programs: Physician Assistant Studies, Social Work, Imaging Sciences, and Medicine. The study used a mixed-methods design, which included a combination of rating scale items (quantitative) and open response items (qualitative).ResultsThe results demonstrated statistically significant gains in the development of interprofessional competencies and a medium-large effect size for practical significance. The overall program evaluation ratings demonstrated learner satisfaction at or above the midpoint (benchmark) for each of the 4 years evaluated. The faculty facilitation was also rated highly.ConclusionThe results of this 4-year study indicate that the Rural IPE program curriculum effectively employed technology to meaningfully engage rural learners in the acquisition and application of interprofessional competencies.