Breaking the Ice: How Students Present Themselves to the Group in an Interprofessional Problem-Based Learning Context

The first time that students meet for a problem-based learning (PBL) tutorial is important for setting the framework for the rest of the PBL process (Hempel & Jern, 2000). This occasion typically involves introducing themselves, meeting the tutor, writing a group contract, and starting work on the first scenario or case. When students are working in interprofessional groups—with peers from other educational programmes—there is the additional complexity of establishing common ground while maintaining one’s own professional focus. It is within this context of interprofessional health education that the current chapter is based. We provide a discursive analysis of the