Evaluation of a Community-Based Student-Led Health Equity Curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Health Justice

Background:

• Curricular gaps exist in teaching social determinants of health (SDOH) in medical schools.
• The Community Perspectives in Medicine (CPIM) elective at Weill Cornell Medical College was redesigned to address these gaps.
• The updated curriculum emphasizes health justice issues and community engagement projects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the redesigned CPIM course on medical students' knowledge, confidence, and advocacy skills.
• To assess changes in students' understanding of SDOH and health justice topics.
• To explore students' motivation for health advocacy.

Main Methods:

• Students participated in weekly lectures by community health advocates and student-led discussions.
• A community engagement project with a local organization was a core component.
• Pre- and post-course surveys using a five-point Likert scale measured confidence and advocacy intent, analyzed with Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

Main Results:

• Confidence ratings significantly increased post-course in both 2023 (2.71 to 4.69) and 2024 (2.62 to 3.72), with notable gains in understanding single-payer healthcare and political advocacy.
• Qualitative feedback indicated increased motivation for advocacy and stronger connections with marginalized communities.
• The redesigned course demonstrated a significant positive impact on student learning and engagement.

Conclusions:

• The CPIM elective effectively enhances medical students' confidence in addressing SDOH and pursuing health advocacy.
• The course serves as a successful model for integrating community-centered, justice-focused education into medical training.
• This approach can foster future physicians committed to health equity.