Interdisciplinary Education In Dental Hygiene: A Pilot Project

This study describes a five-hour interdisciplinary experience involving sophomore dental hygiene students, dental hygiene faculty and medical technology faculty. This experience met the objectives of interdisciplinary teaching while reinforcing and expanding on a present topic in a four-year dental hygiene curriculum. The results of this experience are documented by pre- and post-testing and student evaluations. Statistical analysis of the test results along with student commentaries support interdisciplinary education as a viable and positive teaching approach. Student ability to correctly answer topic-related cognitive questions increased significantly while their understanding of the medical technology profession and its relationship to dental hygiene also developed. The experience was included within the framework of the pre-clinical dental hygiene course which kept the implementation efficient and perhaps contributed to its success. This pilot project was a positive step toward cθntinued interdisciplinary experiences between the dental hygiene and medical technology programs and created enthusiasm for expanding the experiences in the future to include the other health programs

Psychometrics of the scale of attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration: a study with medical students.

BACKGROUND: Despite the emphasis placed on interdisciplinary education and interprofessional collaboration between physicians and pharmacologists, no psychometrically sound instrument is available to measure attitudes toward collaborative relationships. AIM: This study was designed to examine psychometrics of an instrument for measuring attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaborative relationships for administration to students in medical and pharmacy schools and to physicians and pharmacists. METHODS: The Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration was completed by 210 students at Jefferson Medical College. Factor analysis and correlational methods were used to examine psychometrics of the instrument. RESULTS: Consistent with the conceptual framework of interprofessional collaboration, three underlying constructs, namely responsibility and accountability; shared authority; and interdisciplinary education emerged from the factor analysis of the instrument providing support for its construct validity. The reliability coefficient alpha for the instrument was 0.90. The instrument\u27s criterion-related validity coefficient with scores of a validated instrument (Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration) was 0.70. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide support for the validity and reliability of the instrument for medical students. The instrument has the potential to be used for the evaluation of interdisciplinary education in medical and pharmacy schools, and for the evaluation of patient outcomes resulting from collaborative physician-pharmacist relationships

Medical Students\u27 Knowledge of Midwifery Practice After Didactic and Clinical Exposure

Information concerning the student outcomes of interdisciplinary education is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge of third‐year medical students regarding the practice of certified nurse‐midwives (CNMs). A 1‐page survey instrument was developed and pretested. The instrument was administered as a pre‐ and posttest at the beginning and end of 7 Obstetrics and Gynecology rotations at 2 medical school clinical campuses of a large Midwestern medical school. Direct interaction with CNMs improved knowledge of collaborative practice arrangements and roles. This was particularly evident in knowledge areas related to CNM prescriptive authority. The medical students who had direct experience with CNMs expressed more interest in working with them in the future than those who lacked the exposure. Collaborative, interdisciplinary education of medical students appeared to promote improved understanding of roles and capabilities

IMPACT: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning. Volume 5, Issue 2, Summer 2016

Impact: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning is a peer-reviewed, biannual online journal that publishes scholarly and creative non-fiction essays about the theory, practice and assessment of interdisciplinary education. Impact is produced by the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning at the College of General Studies, Boston University (www.bu.edu/cgs/citl)

IMPACT: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning. Volume 5, Issue 1, Winter 2016

Impact: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning is a peer-reviewed, biannual online journal that publishes scholarly and creative non-fiction essays about the theory, practice and assessment of interdisciplinary education. Impact is produced by the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning at the College of General Studies, Boston University (www.bu.edu/cgs/citl)

IMPACT: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning. Volume 4, Issue 1, Winter 2015

Impact: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning is a peer-reviewed, biannual online journal that publishes scholarly and creative non-fiction essays about the theory, practice and assessment of interdisciplinary education. Impact is produced by the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning at the College of General Studies, Boston University (www.bu.edu/cgs/citl)

IMPACT: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning. Volume 1, Issue 1, Summer 2012

Impact: The Journal of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning is a peer-reviewed, biannual online journal that publishes scholarly and creative non-fiction essays about the theory, practice and assessment of interdisciplinary education. Impact is produced by the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning at the College of General Studies, Boston University (www.bu.edu/cgs/citl)