The Pediatrician and the Interdisciplinary Process

Abstract

Changes in the practice of general pediatrics and growth of the child development field have been key influences on the trend of pediatricians to becoming involved in the interdisciplinary process. The pediatrician may function in a variety of different interdisciplinary settings with specific roles varying from occasional consultant to team leader. As a necessary outgrowth of these historic changes, physicians at all levels of training are being introduced to interdisciplinary function. As an additional benefit, interdisciplinary research opportunities are numerous. Problems associated with group interaction threaten the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary process and must be continually recognized and overcome.