Impact of a Required Service-Learning Curriculum on Preclinical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Physician assistant (PA) education lacks robust reporting on brief service-learning impacts.
• Understanding student learning from preclinical service-learning is crucial for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the immediate and long-term learning outcomes of a preclinical service-learning curriculum for PA students.
• To assess the impact of community immersion on PA students' self-awareness, patient focus, and cultural humility.

Main Methods:

• A 16-hour service-learning curriculum involving community immersion with underserved clients was implemented.
• Student written reflections were analyzed for major themes, and a post-curriculum survey assessed long-term impact.

Main Results:

• Four major themes emerged: self-discovery, patient focus, community resources, and patient-provider relationship.
• Students reported increased self-awareness of biases and the need for cultural humility.
• Post-curriculum surveys indicated students valued learning about community resources and self-discovery, reporting increased comfort with underserved patients.

Conclusions:

• Preclinical service-learning curricula effectively increase PA students' self-awareness and intent to modify behavior.
• This experience is perceived as valuable preparation for clinical clerkships, particularly for caring for underserved patients.
• Service-learning enhances PA students' readiness to serve diverse patient populations.