Interdisciplinary education, research and practice, improves health care, scholarly productivity, professionals career opportunities and patients/clients and health professionals satisfaction with care and work, respectively. However, it can engender disinterest, suspicion and antagonism if it is not adequately resources. Adequate resourcing requires both highly visible commitment from the key leaders in universities and health services and separate, realistic budgets to support initiatives. In addition, and to ensure that the specialist contribution of all health disciplines to human well-being is fostered the practice, research and education of specialist disciplines must also be adequately supported. This is what the Health Sciences Council at the University of Alberta since its inception - tried to do. That it has been successful is reflected in its recognition as national leader in interdisciplinarity in health education and research in Canada.
Patient care team; Health; Education