Purpose: Interprofessional collaboration is essential in Physician Assistant (PA) practice. Therefore, a three-semester sequence of Hospital Community Experience (HCE) was implemented during the didactic phase of the PA program providing students with weekly opportunities to shadow/observe health care professions.
Methods: This longitudinal, cohort study evaluated the effect of the HCE on PA students’ perceptions of other health care professions prior to HCE, immediately after HCE, and one year later, after the clinical clerkships. The Interprofessional Perception Scale (IPS) survey was used to assess perceptions.
Results: Comparison of the IPS between the Pre-HCE and subsequent time points revealed statistically significant positive change in perception of other health care professions while also identified some areas for future research and curricular intervention. The greatest number of statistically significant changes occurred in statements which related to how other professions viewed the PA profession and how other professions worked with PAs.
Conclusion: The interprofessional HCEs emerged to be important in shaping the desired interprofessional professional identity of PA students.
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