Interprofessional education in pharmacy: Bridging collaborative competence and clinical impact

Interprofessional education (IPE) has been widely adopted in pharmacy education to enhance collaborative competencies and support team-based healthcare delivery. While evidence consistently demonstrates improvements in communication, teamwork, and professional role awareness, its impact on clinical outcomes remains inconclusive. This commentary examines the underlying reasons for this discrepancy and argues that the limitations of IPE are not rooted in pedagogical ineffectiveness, but in insufficient integration with real-world healthcare systems. Current IPE models are frequently implemented as isolated educational interventions, lacking longitudinal continuity and authentic clinical embedding. As a result, improvements in collaborative competence do not consistently translate into measurable outcomes such as medication safety or therapeutic optimisation. Furthermore, the positioning of pharmacy within interprofessional contexts often limits the profession's clinical agency, thereby constraining its contribution to shared decision-making. Drawing on recent evidence from global literature, this commentary proposes a shift from competency- focused education towards outcome-oriented, system-integrated approaches. Key recommendations include embedding IPE within clinical practice, adopting evaluation frameworks linked to patient outcomes, and strengthening the clinical role of pharmacists within interprofessional teams. By aligning educational design with healthcare delivery systems, IPE can move beyond symbolic implementation and achieve meaningful impact on patient care.