The what and why of interprofessional collaboration according to first-year health professions students: a thematic analysis of written reflections

Background Interprofessional education (IPE) is highly recommended in health professions education, but there is still an ongoing discussion regarding when to introduce interprofessional educational activities. The development of students’ professional and interprofessional competence during education is essential for fostering effective collaboration in future healthcare settings. This study explored how health professions students, in connection with their first IPE experience, reflect upon and express interprofessional competencies in relation to future collaborative work. Methods A qualitative design was employed using a reflexive thematic analysis based on first-year students’ reflective writings, written during the first IPE module in a mandatory curriculum. Results Four themes were identified, representing crucial components for effective interprofessional collaboration. These themes are communication as a fundamental factor, professional knowledge as a common foundation, establishing trust within a workgroup, and, finally, navigating hierarchies in the evolving healthcare landscape. The students elaborated on these themes in relation to the context of collaborative work in professional teams, and emphasised the importance of the quality of care and patients’ treatment outcomes. Conclusions This study contributes to the discussion of the value of introducing IPE at an early stage of health professions education. The findings demonstrated that students can elaborate on interprofessional collaboration and patient safety in this early IPE intervention using brief reflective writing as part of an IPE module. With a clear focus on future professional work, the students identified interprofessional competencies as a part of their learning process.