[Evaluation of an interprofessional service-learning program among health profession students: the experience of...

“Health service”, a French national service-learning program for health profession students, was launched in 2018. It aimed at developing knowledge and skills in health promotion and prevention. The purpose of this study was to assess the local implementation of this program, among medical, pharmacy, midwifery and physical therapy students at the Grenoble Alps University.

Relevant data were extracted from the placement reports, the directors’ feedback forms and an on-line questionnaire for students. We described the teams, the actions, the targeted publics, the students’ satisfaction and directors’ satisfaction.

400 students participated in this service-learning program (207 medical students, 93 pharmacy students, 39 midwifery students and 61 physical therapy students). 92 teams took actions in 91 institutions, including 90 secondary schools. 96.0% of the students were in interprofessional teams. Of 7,926 people reached, 7,872 (99.3%) were secondary school pupils. The main issues addressed were the substance-use prevention program based on life skills development, Unplugged (55 schools) and screen time and cyberstalking (17 schools).

This program achieved interprofessional education and practice, with health-student-delivered activities. Interdisciplinarity was a core strength of the “Health service”. Areas for improvement were the communication and the reimbursement of transportation expenses.