Learning Objective #1: Describe findings based on a three part interdisciplinary teaching learning study among pharmacy and nursing students

Learning Objective #2: Relate the significance of the study findings to prior evidence for establishing evidence-based teaching learning

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New health professionals are expected to work on interdisciplinary teams, but rarely learn such skills in academe. Using an experimental design and an interdisciplinary problem-based learning case-study, the effectiveness of learning was studied in single-discipline (pharmacy-only or nursing-only), interdisciplinary (pharmacy and nursing) small groups, and a control group three separate times between the schools of nursing and pharmacy on one university campus. Student learning was assessed using a multiple-choice quiz and student self assessment of satisfaction and knowledge using a Likert scale. Peer evaluation of critical thinking was assessed using Critical Thinking Indicators (CTI). Analysis was undertaken using descriptive statistics. There were no differences between learning as measured by quiz performance between small group participants and control participants, or between single-discipline and interdisciplinary small groups. However,students self-assessed their knowledge of patient care more positively than their knowledge of anatomy and physiology. Critical thinking assessment was inconclusive. Student satisfaction was generally high related to group study, and with interdisciplinary group study in particular. Findings contribute to evidence-based teaching learning supporting previous findings that collaborative learning is at least as effective as traditional teaching lectures. However, student satisfaction within interdisciplinary groups provide new evidence that collaborative interdisciplinary learning is a useful paradigm that may contribute to students in their preparation for interdisciplinary work in the practice setting.