Perception and readiness of health professions students about interprofessional education in Kuwait

TL;DR

This study explores how health professions students in Kuwait perceive and are ready for interprofessional education, finding that experience and curriculum influence their readiness.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into IPE perceptions and readiness among health students in Kuwait, highlighting the impact of academic year and program differences.

Findings

Upper-year students showed higher perceptions of interdisciplinary collaboration due to clinical exposure.

Program-specific curricula significantly influence readiness for interprofessional learning.

Significant differences in IPE perceptions and readiness were found across academic years and programs.

Abstract

Interprofessional education (IPE) is important for developing interdisciplinary partnerships that improve healthcare delivery. IPE is currently not a common practice in healthcare professions (HP) programs in Middle Eastern countries.

The aim of this study is to assess the perceptions and attitudes of HP students toward IPE across multiple programs at Kuwait.

This was an exploratory, cross-sectional, quantitative, comparative study of 1,162 full-time HP program students ≥ 18 years old. The Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) were utilized.

IEPS scores were significantly different among different years of study (p = 0.027). RIPLS scores were significantly different among different academic HP programs (p = 0.042). The IEPS subscales, perception of actual cooperation and perceived need for cooperation, were significantly different among different HP programs (p = 0.005). RIPLS subscales, teamwork and collaboration (p = 0.024), and roles and responsibilities (p = 0.016), were shown to be significantly different among academic years.

Higher IEPS scores among upper-year students emphasize the role of clinical exposure in enhancing perceptions of interdisciplinary collaboration, while RIPLS results suggest that program-specific curricula shape readiness for interprofessional practice. These findings underscore the need for structured IPE experiences tailored to academic stages and professional contexts to prepare collaborative healthcare professionals.