A model to evaluate interprofessional training effectiveness: feasibility and five-year outcomes of a multi-site prospective cohort study

Objectives Assessing the impact of interdisciplinary training programs is highly desirable and needed. However, there are currently no established methods to prospectively assess long-term outcomes of trainees compared to individuals who did not receive training. Our objective was to test the feasibility of a longitudinal, prospective cohort design to evaluate training outcomes, and to use this method to evaluate Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders (LEND) training outcomes. Methods LEND trainees were matched to comparison peers and followed annually for up to five years using a pre-existing outcomes survey. We assessed study feasibility using recruitment and retention data over five years. We then looked at preliminary efficacy of LEND training in LEND trainees compared to comparison peers using the pre-existing outcomes survey. Results Overall, 68.3% of eligible trainees participated in the Outcomes Study across five years, and 66.0% were matched to comparison peers. On average, 84.4% of LEND trainees and 79.9% of comparison peers completed the outcomes survey annually. Attrition was low at 0.9% for LEND trainees and 2.6% for comparison peers over five years. LEND training demonstrated preliminary efficacy in promoting leadership development: LEND trainees began their careers engaged in more leadership activities than comparison peers, and the rate of growth in their participation in leadership activities was greater. Conclusions The design used to assess outcomes is a feasible approach that can be widely used to assess training program outcomes. Analyses suggest that LEND training is efficacious in increasing involvement in leadership activities over time after graduation.