A reality-oriented approach to interdisciplinary work

Although there is a long history of support in the literature for interdisciplinary education, practice, and research, the actual implementation of such activities has varied greatly. Numerous variables inhibit interdisciplinary work, including a tendency to focus on the many barriers to, rather than opportunities for, such work, a lack of solid data documenting its benefits, the difficulty inherent in finding solutions to the conflicts that arise among the disciplines involved, and organizational reward and regulation systems geared toward single-discipline work. Nonetheless, the goal of interdisciplinary work persists, and there are several notable examples of success. Strategies are outlined for incremental achievement of interdisciplinary aspirations in less-than-ideal environments. These strategies include scanning the environment for promising opportunities, setting realistic goals, building commitment to those goals, avoiding useless battles, and celebrating successes. Specific examples of such strategies as used in the Health Science Center at the University of Florida are provided.