Student perceptions of hybrid delivery of interprofessional anatomy—The best of both worlds?

Abstract

Interprofessional anatomy dissection (IAD) courses increase students' readiness for interprofessional education (IPE) both in‐person and online. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, virtual environments for anatomy learning were perceived as less effective. Hybrid instruction approaches emerged but have been scarcely evaluated. This study assessed students' experiences with a hybrid IAD course's virtual and in‐person components. A hybrid IAD course consisting of virtual and in‐person anatomy laboratory‐based instruction was offered to 32 students from different health sciences programs. Before and after the full course, students completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS). After the virtual and the in‐person course components, students completed a Q‐methodology survey to assess their perceptions of the course. Twenty‐eight students (20 females; 24.8 ± 6.3 years old) from different programs (4 Physician Assistant; 2 Midwifery; 3 Speech‐Language Pathology; 4 Physiotherapy; 3 Occupational therapy; 4 Nursing; 8 Medicine) participated. The total RIPLS score improved after the 8‐week course (Median 84 interquartile range [78–87] vs. 87 [85–90]; p = 0.0145). The Q‐methodology identified three factors: IPE & Virtual Enthusiasts, Introspective Learners, and IPE & Virtual Skeptics. Factors represented different levels of students' engagement with the IPE and virtual environment. The transition to in‐person resulted in all factors praising the experience. Health science students showed improvements in their readiness for IPE after an 8‐week hybrid IAD course. The main differences in the evaluations of the virtual and in‐person components were related to engagement and the ability to learn anatomy; no differences were noted between settings regarding engagement in IPE.