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Background and Purpose. Service learning, as an interprofessional education experience, may maximize the opportunity to understand patient-centered care and the importance of collaboration between health professionals. The purpose of this paper is to share a case model of service learning and explore, evaluate, and make recommendations for other health science educators who are interested in implementing an interprofessional service-learning curriculum. Model Description. In response to the Institute of Medicine Committee on Quality of Health Care in America's recommendation that health care professionals work in interprofessional teams, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS) developed a Curriculum Integration Task Force to "promote distinctive integration of health professionals' education." This group then created an Interprofessional Healthcare Teams course (course reference number: HMTD 500) to educate students to work together in collaborative interprofessional teams, while understanding the concepts of social responsibility, current health care issues, patient-centered care, and advocacy. During the course, all first-year students are grouped into interprofessional teams representing the allied health profession taught at the university. Each team is expected to perform a service-learning project (SLP) with required elements. Community partnerships were formed and continue to be strengthened each year through the service-learning projects. Evaluation/Outcomes. In order to assess the service-learning component of the course at RFUMS, 3 types of data were collected: (1) student surveys, (2) student and faculty focus groups, and (3) reflective statements reviewed over 2 periods of time. In a postcourse survey conducted at the end of the 2007-2008 course, a majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with statements regarding collaboration, social responsibility, and diversity. Results indicate that student attitudes were positive regarding the SLP aspect of the course. Discussion and Conclusion. Key action steps, lessons learned, recommendations, and barriers are identified and discussed in detail in this manuscript. RFUMS has demonstrated that with commitment, support, and careful planning, it is possible to develop and implement an interprofessional service-learning experience that is well received by both faculty and students. It is hoped that sharing this information and experience will provide guidance to anyone planning a service-learning component at their institution. Key Words: Interprofessional, Service learning, Education, Barriers. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Service learning is an important domain in health science student education. Through a formal service-learning experience, students are able to gain an understanding of community needs and the connection between themselves and the patient community they will serve in practice. Service learning provides health care students the opportunity to witness real-life issues and engage in problem solving. This may enhance skills in creative thinking and application while teaching positive values, leadership, citizenship, civic, and personal responsibility.1-3 Service learning, in an interprofessional education setting, may maximize the opportunity to understand patient-centered care and the importance of collaboration between health profession disciplines. This paper describes, evaluates, and makes recommendations for health science educators who are interested in implementing an interprofesional service learning curriculum. Traditionally, health care systems have struggled with limited resources to provide services.4 Collaboration between educational institutions and community organizations has become a popular element in public health strategic planning to combat this problem and meet common goals.4 Additionally, in 2001, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Quality of Health Care in America recommended that health care professionals work in interprofessional teams. … |
