Enhancing Health-Care Research: An Interdisciplinary Collaborative Approach

Abstract

Many research programs tackle complex problems that cannot be comprehensively investigated by a sole researcher or a research team from a single profession. Interdisciplinary teams can develop a collective mass of common knowledge, broaden the scope of research, and produce more clinically relevant outcomes that are sensitive to the realities of practice. The authors describe the experience of a research team from the perspective of its members. The purposes of the paper are to highlight the benefits of an interdisciplinary collaborative approach to research and to describe the characteristics of a successful team. Some of the benefits discussed include increased research productivity and quality, professional development and mentorship, support and encouragement, expanded resource networks, and bridging of the gap between academia and practice. The authors also discuss the characteristics of a successful research team, associated challenges, and recommendations for enhancing research endeavours through collaboration.