Expanding interprofessional collaboration to produce authentic health professional education learning resources: the joys and pains in combining four frameworks

Introduction/Background
Authenticity is a key to effective learning resources in health professional education (HPE). We piloted an expanded model of Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) between HPE and Humanities to produce podcast-based self-study modules for HPE and community service providers. Community Engaged Learning principles directed the IPC to produce Narrative Medicine resources; and the learning drew on Pedagogy of Discomfort.

Methods
The project team comprised two medical educators, one podcast academic expert, and one community mental health professional. Two narrative non-fiction podcasts were developed from experiences of people who lived through depression, suicidal ideation, and stigmatising behaviours. Study and reflection questions were developed around each podcast to produce self-study learning resources for HPE students and community service providers’ professional development. The resources were piloted with the two intended audience groups in a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.
The research team maintained reflective journals documenting their experiences throughout the project.

Evaluation
The study failed to obtain the intended sample sizes due to unanticipated challenges inherent to Community Engaged Learning practices. The limited data indicated the value of the Narrative Medicine approach and the feasibility of the IPC model to be run by HPE and Humanities students with some caveats. The project team’s reflections indicate that Pedagogy of Discomfort is a valuable framework for scaffolding this IPC model, especially for non-health professional students.

Discussion
We expanded IPC to include a non-health profession, using Community Engaged Learning principles to produce Narrative Medicine resources, supported by reflections using the Pedagogy of Discomfort. We found surprising technical challenges but also a wealth of benefits for all involved. We discovered how our model can be rolled out to students for the benefits of their professional and interprofessional learning, community service staff professional development, interdisciplinary study and enrichment of HPE pedagogy.