Academic requirements and calendars differ across disciplines. Limited resources, the faculty reward structure, resistance to change and turf issues also matter. Interdisciplinary learning can be conducted in the classroom or clinically, Baldwin said. As founding director of the interdisciplinary health sciences program at the University of Nevada, Baldwin established a core curriculum of science and social science courses for 11 disciplines that has remained in place for more than 25 years. Clinical experiences work best in community settings, especially underserved areas, with ambulatory patients who have chronic and complex problems, Baldwin said.
Students find clinical teamwork stimulating and thrive in interdisciplinary settings.
Timing issues often point to setting up interdisciplinary experiences during summer or other breaks. I m surprised you are contemplating doing this without external funding, Baldwin said, but he thought that was good. Bootstrap programs are more likely to last. Professional recognition, interdependence, mutual respect and plain old good manners are vital to the success of interdisciplinary education or practice, Baldwin emphasized. School of Nursing Dean Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N., confers with Stanley Reiser, M.D., Ph.D., Griff T.Ross Professor.