Creation and initial validation of a 360° Interprofessional Clinic Assessment Tool (IP-CAT) for pre- and post-licensure trainees

To better understand the effects of interprofessional training on clinical and systems outcomes, there is a need for cross-professional, competency-based assessment instruments that yield scores from which one can make valid inferences. Existing instruments have not been developed across medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and psychology for both pre- and post-licensure trainees. This paper describes our efforts to: 1) provide a crosswalk of the competency documents for these four professions, 2) create an Interprofessional Clinic Assessment Tool, focused on engagement with the team and assigned patient panel, and 3) generate initial validation evidence. Preliminary outcome data indicates the Interprofessional Clinic Assessment Tool (IP-CAT) is efficient and effective in evaluating interprofessional competencies and facilitating improved interprofessional communication/discussion. Future studies should focus on determining effectiveness in a variety of training settings.