Unique beginnings but similar endings: A 5-year exploration of differences in interprofessional competency attainment following the health professions foundational experience

Background: Differences in interprofessional competency attainment between health professions and/or learner degree level following participation in a foundational interprofessional education (IPE) experience are not well established in the literature. Purpose: The purpose of this report is to explore similarities and differences in interprofessional competency attainment outcomes between and among various health professions students. Method: This study utilized a retrospective analysis of Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale (ICCAS) scores collected for over 5000 learners from 17 health professions programs over 5 years from one academic institution. Discussion: Significant differences presented between professions and between degree levels (bachelor's, master's, and doctoral) in pre-test and difference scores, with all professions ultimately trending toward a similar level of competency attainment following exposure to a shared foundational IPE curriculum. Conclusions: While a foundational IPE curriculum is critical for setting a baseline, it should not be over-emphasized to the exclusion of moving IPE into the clinical learning environment.