Habitus in an interprofessional learning setting

Habitus are behavioural orientations learned and internalised through socialisation. This means that they unconsciously shape the way we perceive, judge and act. The reconstruction of habitus types can be used to draw conclusions about different socialising influencing factors such as social and family conditions (primary socialisation) and vocational training (secondary socialisation). For example, reference can be made here to so-called female or male socialised habitus. Habitus are thus an expression of socially and professionally acquired cultural skills.

The aim of interprofessional education (IPE) is to develop cultural skills. As part of IPE at the UW/H, the task is to enable medical students to communicate and interact with other professions on an equal footing. In view of an ageing society with an increase in chronic illnesses, disabilities and multimorbidity, a cultural change in medicine is becoming increasingly necessary.

At the same time, IPE is faced with the task of dismantling traditional hierarchical self-perceptions between the healthcare professions in order to promote synergetic behaviour. Against this background, the research project analyses and reconstructs the habitus of medical students from different semesters. On the one hand, the aim is to recognise the different habitual prerequisites of the students. On the other hand, the influencing socialisation conditions are to be understood. On the basis of these findings, impulses for a habitus-sensitive and habit-forming IPE can then be derived and put up for discussion.