Interprofessionalism: Unattainable goal or child's play?

摘要

During elementary school, it was often acknowledged in report cards and on parent-teacher days that those students who share and work well with others are a delight to have in class. This might be relevant when we discuss interprofessionalism in today's health care system. Is the goal of health care professionals working together too unrealistic or is it a goal we can achieve with the right open-minded approach? Before my acceptance into Dalhousie's College of Pharmacy in 2006,1 would not have been able to describe the intricacies of what it means to be a pharmacist. Since my interactions with pharmacists over the years had been few and far between, I was not able to appreciate the knowledge and resources I now know a pharmacist can share with a patient. Without much contact with the health care system, you usually only know what someone really does in their profession day to day if you know them personally, perhaps if they are a close friend or family member.