Abstract
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Effective healthcare delivery requires clinicians to function within high-performing, collaborative teams. To support this, interprofessional education (IPE) must provide opportunities that move beyond siloed training. This paper details the clinical application of a team science-informed educational intervention designed to prepare students for interprofessional practice (IPP) through a university-based head injury head injury clinic. Methods: The research team conducted a mixed methods case study with a convergent design to evaluate student outcomes. Eighteen graduate students from occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology participated in a 10-week clinic. Faculty delivered training in IPEC competencies, TeamSTEPPS® tools, and clinical processes before the clinic began. Faculty gathered quantitative data using the Interprofessional Collaborator Assessment Rubric (ICAR) and extracted qualitative data from student and faculty notes. Results: Quantitative results revealed statistically significant improvements in student performance across ICAR domains of communication, collaboration, and role understanding. Initial qualitative themes included: 1) using collaborative terminology, 2) shifting from individual to team efforts, 3) collaboration, 4) roles/responsibilities, 5) communication, 6) safety, and 7) emotional. A mixed methods visual tool (i.e., joint display) merged both data types to identify two integrated findings: 1) time spent in the clinic results in shifts from an individual disciplinary focus to a multidisciplinary teamwork focus, while also preserving disciplinary scope, and 2) collaborative, multidisciplinary communication promotes safe practices and healthy outlets for emotional expression.
Discussion: Students progressed from siloed thinking to collaborative care planning over the clinic's duration. Faculty modeling and IPE/IPP tools reinforced safe, effective communication. Role awareness grew through structured interactions and cross-disciplinary teaching. Emotional themes suggested a psychologically safe environment that supported team bonding and self-efficacy. Findings indicate that immersive, theory-based experiences promote interprofessional readiness. Conclusion: This paper demonstrates the value of integrating team science (i.e., SciTS, IPEC, and TeamSTEPPS® into the clinical training of health professions students. The clinic was a scalable model for real-world team-based learning. Results highlight the importance of collaborative tools, role definition, and safe communication practices in fostering interdisciplinary teamwork and improving clinical education. This study underscores the importance of a structured, interdisciplinary approach in clinical education guided by SciTS epistemology.
Plain Language Summary
This study fills a gap in healthcare education by combining team science with two healthcare education models. Our research team created a 10-week program where therapy students worked together in a head injury clinic. The goal was to improve teamwork, communication, and understanding of each profession’s role. Results showed that students improved working together and making care plans for patients with complex needs. Faculty helped by teaching communication tools to support teamwork and safety. This is the first study to combine team science with healthcare training to prepare students for real-world jobs. It provides a model for improving teamwork in healthcare and helping patients get better care.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.32873/unmc.dc.tso.3.1.02
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Balog, E., Paparella, S., Noce, N., Hubbell, S., & Pena, K. (2026). Integration of the Science of Team Science (SciTS) with Applied Healthcare Frameworks: Interprofessional Education through a University-based Head Injury Clinic, Part II: Mixed Methods. Translational Science in Occupation, 3(1). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32873/unmc.dc.tso.3.1.02