Findings from a Needs Assessment to Inform the Development of a Global IPECP Summer Research Institute

Despite the growing number of research efforts in past decades, there is limited evidence linking interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) to purported outcomes, such as the Quintuple Aim (Nundy et al., 2022), often due to insufficient empirical rigor in research (IOM, 2015). Addressing these gaps requires theory-driven, methodologically sound studies, accessible training and mentorship in IPECP research.Implementation: In 2024, InterprofessionalResearch.Global (IPR.Global) established a working group to develop an IPECP Summer Research Institute which provides practitioners, educators, and early-career researchers with the the knowledge, skills, and mentorship necessary to conduct and disseminate high-quality research aimed at furthering the global IPECP research agenda (Khalili et al., 2019). The working group developed a draft outline of curricular pillars, and a plan for piloting the Summer Research Institute in Summer 2025.Evaluation plan: In Fall 2024, a needs assessment survey was distributed to the IPR.Global network of IPECP practitioners, researchers, educators, administrators, and students to: 1) elicit feedback on the proposed structure and curricular pillars of the summer research institute, and 2) determine the learning needs and logistical considerations of prospective participants. A second survey was also distributed to elicit feedback from community members with patient and caregiver perspectives on the proposed curriculum and important topics from their experiences. The Institutional Review Board at the host institution determined that the surveys were exempt from IRB review.Outcome(s) and significance: Over 20 responses to the needs assessment surveys were received as of January 2025 from North America, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East, representing 11 professions. Data collection remains open. Most respondents held roles as educators or researchers. Detailed discussion of the key findings relating to the proposed curriculum, structure and learning needs will be provided in the presentation, as well as discussion of how they informed the development of the Summer Research Institute.