Interprofessional education and the diagnostic radiography curriculum : students' perceived value of a case-based, whole day activity

Introduction: This study aimed to examine Diagnostic Radiography (DR) students' perceptions and attitudes towards the Health Collaboration Challenge (HCC), as an interprofessional learning opportunity. Methods: DR students participated in the HCC, an annual intensive interprofessional collaboration and assessment activity involving case-based learning. Students' attitudes towards Interprofessional Education (IPE) were measured using a modified version of the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and a bespoke questionnaire with items relating to the HCC. Subsequent focus groups explored students' experience of IPE within the HCC context. Results: Survey results (n = 30) suggested a mostly positive attitude towards IPE alongside other health care students, acknowledging the value of interprofessional teams in patient health care. Qualitative themes from focus group participants (n = 8) revealed that DR students, while appreciating the value of shared-decision making, found the HCC assessment distracting. Challenges included the intensive nature of the HCC, roles that DR students undertook in addressing assessment criteria, case complexity and opportunities for DR students to showcase their knowledge. Conclusion: Results suggest that the intensive and assessable nature of the HCC can overshadow the value of IPE for DR students, and immersive or staggered approaches to IPE could better align with DR professionals' unique role within the patient care spectrum. Implications for practice: Revised IPE models for DR students could include a more immersive environment, conducted over a longer period of time, with meetings at semi-regular intervals to promote an interprofessional-focus over a task-focus approach.