An exploration of an interprofessional embedded educational model between occupational therapy and industrial design: a qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological inquiry

Background Interprofessional education represents an opportunity for healthcare and design students to deepen their understanding of users and enhance skill development through collaborative experiences. Embedding these collaborative experiences within entire curricula moves the notion of experiential learning from stand-alone projects towards the nuanced learning opportunities only available with sustained regular contact. Methods Occupational therapy doctoral students were integrated into two cohorts of Master of Industrial Design (MSID) student courses for one academic year. Interviews were conducted to gather qualitative information about the student experiences, which were then transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes. Results Industrial design students reported positive learning experiences when collaborating with occupational therapy students that deepened understanding of user-centeredness, improved communication skills, and more well-developed student projects than would have been possible alone. Conclusion The contribution of occupational therapy and industrial design students into collaborative courses and projects may result in a greater topical understanding and more advanced skill development than any singular discipline’s program. Further research to compare development against students without collaborative experiences is needed to understand the magnitude of a collaboration’s potential impact.