EXAMINING GRADUATE STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF TEACHING METHODOLOGIES WHEN ADDRESSING PEDIATRIC INTER-PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION STANDARDS.

Accredited entry-level doctorate physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) programs are required to meet specific educational standards mandated by their accrediting bodies; CAPTE and ACOTE. While both of these accrediting bodies identify specific educational standards related to preparing students to be competent in inter-professional collaboration; there are varying teaching methods, student learning activities and assessments of learning that can be used to meet these standards. The PT and OT faculty at a Midwestern university collaborated to create two pediatric IPEs. IPE 1 involved community member participation in the PT/OT classrooms for Baby Lab, which promoted collaboration between students from second year PT and first year OT cohorts. It supported their learning of pediatric development, reflexes, commonly used assessments, and student communication skills. IPE 2 involved 2nd year PT and OT students using case study work and student role play to support evidence-based practice in the pediatric outpatient setting. Students completed reflective questions regarding their comfort level after IPE 1 using a 5 point Likert scale and reflected on challenges and positive experiences. The Readiness of Inter-professional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was completed after IPE 2. The RIPLS is a 15-item tool that assesses student attitudes and perceptions to determine their readiness for inter-professional learning and change (National Center for Inter-professional Practice and Education, 2013). The results of this project will be used to show the efficacy of teaching methodologies incorporating IPEs, and information will be shared about student perceptions of learning activities involving community members or peer role play.