TDG – Motivational interviewing in Undergraduate Clinical Education: An Opportunity for a New Interprofessional Learning Experience

Abstract

Patient counseling skill is considered a core competency to be acquired in professional training for clinical students. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a useful counseling approach for helping patients change their health behaviors. To introduce MI into undergraduate curriculum, an interprofessional teaching development project involving medicine, dentistry and nursing was carried out. A culturally relevant learning resource bank was developed. Staff development workshops were organized. Students learned from the online materials, theme-based seminars and practical workshops. The learning outcomes were evaluated by pre-post MCQs. Students’ feedback was collected through a questionnaire and focus groups. Students gained a systematic understanding on MI principles and grew in their confidence/competence in patient counseling. Teachers and students highly agreed on the relevance and impact of MI learning. This new teaching initiative enriched students’ learning experience and increases their preparedness for advancing health and well-being of their patients. This project also provided students and teachers an opportunity for interprofessional learning and practice, so that they could share good practice and useful resources and tackle the “common risk factors” threatening many aspects of health.

Deliverables