Interprofessional Role Clarity, Case-Based Learning, and Perceptions of Group Effectiveness Among Athletic Training and Physical Therapy Students in a Shared Professional Course

Purpose: Health professions students experience professional socialization during their program of study. Institutions have turned to interprofessional education as a means of preparing students for their role as collaborative health care professionals. This study examines the effect of case-based learning experiences in a shared professional Therapeutic Modalities course on student’s interprofessional role clarity as well as the relationship between interprofessional role clarity and measure of group effectiveness. Methods: 112 students (22 Athletic Training and 90 Physical Therapy) were assigned to one of 18 interprofessional and 18 uniprofessional teams and asked to complete four case-based learning activities. All students completed pre-test, retrospective pre-test, and post-test role clarity/ambiguity scales. Measures of team viability, team member satisfaction, and self-rated output were collected post-intervention. Results: Results suggest the experience of interacting with one another in this course, including during case-based learning activities, may lead to increased knowledge of other’s roles and responsibilities as shown in the retrospective pre-test and post-test role clarity differences. Additionally, role clarity has meaningful relationships with measures of perceived group effectiveness, particularly team viability and self-rated output. Conclusion: We suggest that health professions educators consider incorporating case-based learning activities into existing curricula to introduce other professions’ roles and engage students in teamwork.