Perceptions of interprofessional education among medical and dental students in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.
TL;DR
The results highlight the value of integrating IPE across both preclinical and clinical curricula and of targeting attitudinal development specifically, and support embedding structured, experiential IPE from the preclinical years onward-through shared case-based teaching, interprofessional simulation, and co-facilitated clinical activities.
Abstract
Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares medical and dental students for collaborative, team-based care, yet little is known about how students perceive IPE within integrated academic environments in the Gulf region. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2025 at RAK Medical & Health Sciences University and RAK College of Dental Sciences in the United Arab Emirates. A printed, structured questionnaire adapted from validated tools was distributed to undergraduate medical and dental students. The survey evaluated interdisciplinary knowledge, teaching content, interprofessional value, and attitudes toward IPE using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk normality tests, unequal variance t-tests, Cronbach's alpha, and Spearman's correlation utilized to evaluate group differences and internal consistency. Ethical approval was obtained (Ref: TAKMHSU-HEC-51-2023/24-F-D). A total of 273 students participated (157 medicals, 116 dentals; 50.2% female). Clinical-phase students reported significantly more favorable perceptions across domains of interdisciplinary knowledge, teaching content, and interprofessional value (p < 0.01). The internal consistency of the questionnaire was high (α > 0.85 for most domains). Strong inter-domain correlations were observed, especially between teaching content and perceived value. No significant differences were found based on gender. Clinical exposure was associated with more favorable perceptions of IPE. These findings support embedding structured, experiential IPE from the preclinical years onward-through shared case-based teaching, interprofessional simulation, and co-facilitated clinical activities-rather than relying on clinical contact alone. For curriculum developers and institutional policymakers, the results highlight the value of integrating IPE across both preclinical and clinical curricula and of targeting attitudinal development specifically. Longitudinal and intervention-based studies are needed to confirm whether such exposure produces durable gains in collaborative competence.