Abstract
Abstract In recent years, the importance of interprofessional collaboration has increased across the fields of healthcare, public health, and social welfare, leading to the promotion of interprofessional education (IPE).
The purpose of this study was to clarify the learning outcomes of a group work-based IPE program involving four professions in a dental hygienist training program, using specific behavioral objectives (SBO) as an analytical framework.
The participants were 94 second-year dental hygiene students at a junior college who were in the pre-clinical placement stage. They participated in a group work-based IPE program together with students from pharmacy, nursing, and nutrition programs. Learning outcomes were evaluated using pre- and post-class questionnaires, and post-class free-text responses were organized and categorized with the support of generative AI, followed by comparison with quantitative results.
The quantitative analysis demonstrated positive shifts in students’ attitudes and perceptions, including enhanced understanding of other professions, a stronger orientation toward collaboration, formation of professional identity, and a reduction in psychological barriers between departments and professions. Analysis of the free-text responses revealed learning experiences related to insights gained through learning alongside multiple professions and increased self-reflection.
Overall, these findings suggest that group work-based IPE represents an effective educational approach for fostering foundational attitudes and perceptions that support interprofessional collaboration among dental hygiene students prior to clinical training.
