Interprofissionalism in the Pharmacy course of a public Brazilian university: advances and challenges.

Abstract

Interprofessionality in healthcare is essential for patient-centered care but still faces challenges in academic training. This report describes the experience of four Pharmacy students from the Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) in an interprofessional course entitled “Interprofessional Education in the Context of Adult Intensive Care”, offered by the School of Nursing. Over the course of a week, the students followed patients in an Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU), participating in clinical discussions alongside students, faculty members, and professionals from Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nutrition, and Dentistry. The experience presented challenges, such as difficulties in understanding technical terms from other fields and insecurity in proposing pharmaceutical interventions. It became evident that Pharmacy education remains focused on basic and technological disciplines, limiting clinical practice. However, direct contact with patients and the exchange among different healthcare areas strengthened the students' understanding of the pharmacist’s role in patient care. This report highlights the importance of incorporating interprofessional activities into undergraduate education, such as shared internships, clinical simulations, and real case discussions. The experience demonstrated that collaborative work enhances healthcare delivery and better prepares professionals to act confidently. Developing interprofessionality in academic training is essential to building a more integrated and effective pharmaceutical practice, with professionals committed to patient safety.