VA Rural Interprofessional Faculty Initiative evaluated through the RE-AIM framework.

A 2026 qualitative study in BMC Medical Education by Keithly and colleagues used the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the VA Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative and found participating rural faculty reported increased confidence in interprofessional teaching while noting institutional support and access to resources as important implementation factors.

The VA Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative was evaluated in a qualitative study published in BMC Medical Education in 2026 by Keithly and colleagues. The research applied the RE-AIM framework to examine reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The initiative focused on faculty in rural healthcare settings and aimed to strengthen interprofessional teaching amid constraints such as limited resources and geographic barriers. The study gathered participant perspectives to understand real-world experiences of implementing interprofessional education. Key findings: - The evaluation relied on interviews and focus groups with rural faculty who took part in the initiative. - Participants reported increased confidence and competence in interprofessional teaching practices after the training. - Institutional support, access to resources, and community engagement were identified as key factors affecting implementation. - Faculty described immediate gains in knowledge and skills but raised concerns about sustaining those changes over time. - The RE-AIM framework structured assessment across reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Summary: The study indicates the initiative engaged rural faculty and contributed to reported improvements in interprofessional teaching confidence and skills. Findings highlight contextual barriers and facilitators that influenced how the program was implemented. Authors emphasized the importance of continued professional development and institutional support for maintaining gains over time.