What?
UBC offers various health professional programs, including dietetics. On September 19th, students in various faculties came together to meet and discuss the importance of interprofessional collaboration at Health Connect. My group consisted of seven students: two medical, one nursing, one pharmacy, one dental, one occupational therapy and myself as a dietetic student.

My initial fear of the event was that there could be a hint of hostility between students in differing faculties. My worries soon dissipated; It was a delightfully comfortable and friendly environment. We discussed stereotypes within our professions (dietitians do not solely focus on weight loss)! and personal future visions. I especially appreciated what one medical student, Curtis, mentioned: He wanted to focus on preventative medicine to alleviate the incidence of chronic illnesses before they occur, thereby decreasing the number of ER admittances due to these potentially preventable issues (which in turn lowers hospital costs).
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So What?
This event was important because it is likely that in the future, many of us will interact within our profession. Hospitals, clinics, private practices and other areas of practice often have interdisciplinary health care teams that cohesively provide input regarding a patient or client.

Health Connect educates fellow students on the roles and responsibilities of the other professions. There were a handful of students at the event who had never heard of dietetics before. If one medical professional has never heard of another, how will they know to refer a patient when the crucial time comes in the future? By attending this event, us dietetic students are advocating for the profession and its importance within the health care system.
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Now What?
I look forward to being an active member of an interdisciplinary health care team. I know that within the next three years, I will interact with numerous students from these fields and many will turn into valuable friendships. I hope to learn more about the other professions and their specific responsibilities throughout my studies.

As a dietitian, I will advocate for the importance of its role within the health care system by contributing evidence-based nutrition knowledge to help patients and clients reach their nutrition goals within their own context. As a team member, I will strive to be an active learner and communicator to ensure our team has the right resources for optimal and individualized care.

• Year 3