Last modified: 2025-06-11
Abstract
In the era of globalization and rapid development of health sciences, interprofessional collaboration has become key in providing quality, comprehensive, and patient-centered healthcare services. However, pharmacy students in Indonesia still face limitations in understanding the roles of other health professions due to minimal interprofessional learning opportunities during their education. Therefore, interdisciplinary learning becomes a strategic solution to enhance pharmacy students' competence in working with other healthcare professionals. This paper highlights the importance of interdisciplinary learning in pharmacy education to strengthen interprofessional collaboration. Interdisciplinary learning enables pharmacy students to think critically and creatively, as well as develop communication and collaboration skills. Several strategies proposed in this paper include guest lectures, interdisciplinary seminars, interprofessional panel discussions, case simulations, field visits, and interprofessional collaborative projects. Analysis shows that despite challenges in implementing interdisciplinary learning, such as differences in professional cultures and resource limitations, the resulting opportunities are significant. Students involved in interdisciplinary learning have a better understanding of other professional roles, improved critical thinking abilities, and are better prepared to meet future healthcare service demands. Furthermore, with structured interdisciplinary learning designs, pharmacy students can develop broader academic and professional competencies, thereby contributing to the improvement of overall healthcare service quality.