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Fostering Transformative Learning in a Social Pediatrics Research Summer Studentship
Susanna Talarico1, Mohammad Zubairi, Denis Daneman
1S. Talarico is assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, and pediatrician, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M. Zubairi is assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, and developmental pediatrician, Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. D. Daneman is professor and chair emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, and pediatric endocrinologist, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A. Punnett is associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, and pediatric oncologist, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M.A. (Tina) Martimianakis is associate professor and director, Medical Education Scholarship, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, and scientist and associate director, international and partnerships, Wilson Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2531-3156.
The Social Pediatrics Research Summer Studentship (SPReSS) program empowered medical students to address health disparities. Students reported increased advocacy skills and rewarding clinical-research integration.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Social Pediatrics
- Health Disparities Research
Background:
- Medical educators face challenges in teaching future doctors to address health disparities.
- The University of Toronto developed the Social Pediatrics Research Summer Studentship (SPReSS) program to meet this need.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the SPReSS program in fostering skills and critical reflection among medical students regarding health disparities.
Main Methods:
- The SPReSS program integrated research projects, clinical placements, and a seminar series.
- Transformative learning principles were applied to curriculum development and student learning.
- A thematic analysis was conducted on the reflections of 23 participating students from 2013-2015.
Main Results:
- Student reflections revealed empathic responses to marginalized patients triggered critical reflection.
- Students reported feeling empowered to act as advocates, reinforced by faculty role modeling.
- The integration of clinical and research experiences made sociopolitical concepts more concrete and impactful.
Conclusions:
- The SPReSS program successfully fostered critical reflection and advocacy skills in medical students.
- The program's blend of research and clinical experiences was particularly impactful.
- Future directions include expanding the program's reach and evaluating long-term outcomes.
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