Work Smarter Not Harder: Mapping Interprofessional Education Collaboration Core Competencies Across Curricula

Abstract

Integrating Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) into health professions curricula is recognized as a challenging task due to factors such as timing, curriculum overload, and resource availability. This study aimed to identify opportunities within courses across all health professions that would help students achieve the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies. These competencies include (1) Values and Ethics, (2) Roles and Responsibilities, (3) Interprofessional Communication, and (4) Teams and Teamwork. A quantitative, cross-sectional document review was conducted, analyzing curriculum maps and documents from 11 healthcare professions at a South African university. This process involved 22 participants, comprising two representatives from each profession who possessed expertise in the content and teaching methods relevant to their field. They completed a structured survey using the REDCap platform, with guidance from the first author, who was knowledgeable about the IPEC competencies. The results indicated that the curricula of all professions incorporated the IPEC Core Competencies. Notably, the Values and Ethics competencies had the highest representation (mean = 101.2), while Teams and Teamwork were the least represented (mean = 64.6). Thus, the analysis of the curriculum maps provided valuable insights for curriculum planners, allowing them to identify gaps and overlaps. This information serves as a foundation for developing an integrated, longitudinal, evidence-based IPECP curriculum.