What was the educational challenge?: A major challenge in health professions education is to equip graduates with essential teamwork skills, addressing cognitive, motivational, and emotional barriers that hinder effective collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds.
What was the solution and how was this implemented?: The Teamwork Baseline Assessment Tool (TBAT) was developed as an innovative solution to teach collaboration and teamwork, focusing on growth mindsets, reactions to challenging scenarios, and ideal team player attributes. Implemented during the orientation for new first-year students, TBAT facilitated early engagement in teamwork discussions, with students receiving personalised reports to aid in self-reflection and development.
What lessons were learned?: Key lessons included the importance of initiating teamwork conversations early, the value of personalised feedback in promoting self-awareness and peer understanding, and the effectiveness of TBAT in providing instructors with insights into students' teamwork aptitudes.
What are the next steps?: Expanding TBAT across various student populations and integrating it into the curriculum aims to provide continuous opportunities for applying and reinforcing teamwork and collaboration skills. This strategy will support the development of targeted instructional approaches, fostering a collaborative learning environment and preparing students for the teamwork challenges in healthcare settings.
Keywords: Collaboration; health professions education; innovation; metacognition; teamwork.