First-year interprofessional education and its influence on undergraduate retention

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is increasingly emphasized in health sciences curricula for its role in improving collaboration skills and professional identity. However, little is known about how early IPE exposure influences retention within pre-professional undergraduate majors. The objective of this program evaluation was to assess the effects of a first-year IPE module on interprofessional skills and retention in the Exercise Physiology (EXPH) major. The hypothesis was that a first-year IPE module would improve undergraduate retention to the department. Methods: Students enrolled in EXPH, Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSAD), Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM), or Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine (PALM) enrolled in a university-required first-year seminar orientation course taught in the Department of Health Professions in the School of Medicine. The control section consisted of 173 EXPH students and the experimental section consisted of 84 students (25 CSAD, 3 HIIM, 10 PALM, 46 EXPH). A three-week IPE module in both sections introduced freshmen to foundational principles of interprofessional collaboration using case-based learning, structured small-group discussions, and guided reflections. The control section received major-specific instruction on professional pathways, whereas the experimental section engaged in interprofessional activities with peers from multiple health science disciplines. Retention to the EXPH major was determined using registrar records tracking students from freshman to sophomore year. Interprofessional skill development was assessed using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale–24 (ISVS-24) administered pre- and post-module. Results: By the start of the sophomore year, 27% of the control section and 26% of the EXPH students in the experimental section had transferred out of EXPH. Notably, 5% of experimental section transfers (1/22) were retained within the department to other majors, whereas no control section transfers remained in the department. The control group demonstrated higher baseline ISVS-24 scores. ISVS-24 improved across the semester in both groups, and post-semester ISVS-24 scores did not differ between groups. Conclusion: A first-year IPE module improved interprofessional socialization and may support departmental retention by helping students explore diverse healthcare pathways and identify alternatives to STEM-intensive majors. These preliminary findings support further study and broader implementation of IPE at the undergraduate level. This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2026 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.