As interest grows in the role of music in healthcare—particularly through non-clinical initiatives such as social prescribing—there is a growing need to develop educational approaches that prepare musicians, rather than music therapists, for meaningful engagement in health and care contexts. This paper explores how pedagogical models can support music students in building the skills, understanding, and critical awareness needed to facilitate musical care in settings such as hospitals, care homes, and community health programmes.The study draws on a practice-based training module that incorporates interdisciplinary learning, experiential placements, and structured opportunities for critical reflection. To explore how students experience and contribute to this learning process, the research employs focus groups as both a data collection and collaborative analysis method. Students participated in facilitated group discussions where they reflected on their experiences in healthcare settings, the challenges of adapting their musical practice, and their evolving sense of professional identity.Importantly, the focus groups extended beyond traditional data-gathering. Participants were actively involved in interpreting emerging themes, offering their own insights into the significance of particular experiences, and co-constructing meaning alongside the researcher. This collaborative analysis not only enriched the depth of the findings, but also served as a pedagogical tool—encouraging students to think critically about their roles, values, and ethical responsibilities as musicians working in care contexts.The findings highlight the need for pedagogical models that foster dialogue, ethical awareness, contextual sensitivity, and adaptability. The use of collaborative focus groups demonstrates how students can be positioned not merely as learners or research subjects, but as reflective contributors to the development of more responsive and inclusive training programmes, hence to support a sustainable model of musical care within healthcare settings.