Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is growing evidence supporting the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) in improving patient-centred care and outcomes. The purpose of this review was to examine how recent studies (2010–2020) designed, implemented, and evaluated IPE initiatives and determine whether these initiatives were effective in preparing health and social care (HASC) professional students for IPCP. METHODS This review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) checklist to filter the studies and extract and analyze the data. Eligible peer-reviewed studies required inclusion of two or more HASC professions in a prelicensure IPE context and description of student-centred learning outcomes. Thirty-seven studies were included in this review. RESULTS Recent studies (2010–2020) are increasingly developing practice-based simulations, incorporating IPE into mandatory coursework, and employing qualitative and mixed methods to assess student experiences. Nonetheless, most interventions lacked the use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks, were generally non-representative of HASC professions other than medicine and nursing, and were short in duration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS It is not known whether the positive impacts associated with IPE experiences in the short-term studies would remain with the students into their professional lives. Longer interventions with greater intensity and more rigorous methodological and assessment methods are warranted. Future studies should employ larger, more inclusive sample sizes from a wider range of HASC professions; survey IPE program coordinators and facilitators; include patients in IPE development; and assess and report how their institutions are committed to fostering IPE and meeting IPE-relevant accreditation standards.