Service-learning experiences can foster veterinary students' development of competence in the Competency-Based...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Experiential Learning
• Community Engagement

Background:

• Service learning, an experiential approach combining community engagement and reflection, is gaining traction in veterinary curricula.
• It offers diverse training opportunities for veterinary students across various practice areas.
• This review examines existing evidence on the community impact and student outcomes of service-learning programs in veterinary education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence of community impact from veterinary service-learning programs.
• To evaluate veterinary student outcomes resulting from participation in service-learning initiatives.
• To align student outcomes with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges' Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) Framework.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of literature on veterinary service-learning programs.
• Analysis of reported community impacts and student outcomes.
• Categorization of student outcomes according to the CBVE Framework domains.

Main Results:

• Most studies rely on student self-reported surveys for outcome data.
• Evidence primarily documented outcomes in Domain 5 (Communication) and Domain 6 (Collaboration) of the CBVE Framework.
• Some evidence indicated outcomes across all CBVE domains, but comprehensive data is limited.

Conclusions:

• Service learning shows promise for developing veterinary student competencies, especially in communication and collaboration.
• Current assessment methods, mainly surveys, limit a robust understanding of student performance and competence development.
• Enhanced reporting, including direct assessment measures, is crucial for accurately evaluating the impact of service learning on veterinary students and communities.