Community service learning: an effective vehicle for interprofessional education

Authors

  • Taline D Infante Department of Periodontics, Division of Dental Hygiene, School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; deceased
  • Lyda C Arevalo-Flechas Department of Health Restoration and Care Systems Management, School of NursingUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; currently Texas State University
  • Lark A Ford University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Norma S Partida
  • Norma Ketchum University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Brad H Pollock University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Anthony J Infante University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/jripe.2015v5n1a189

Keywords:

interprofessional education, community service learning

Abstract

Background

Health professions students have limited exposure to each other during education and training, yet there are many expectations for interaction in the workplace as part of functioning health care teams. We reasoned that providing students an opportunity to work together in a service learning project under faculty supervision would enhance student knowledge and appreciation of each other’s disciplines and give them a better understanding of working together.

Methods and Findings

Teams of students from four disciplines (medicine, nursing, dentistry, dental hygiene) worked as volunteers with a unique population of transitional homeless families to develop individualized health and wellness plans. Pre- and post-participation surveys were used to measure changes in student perceptions of working in multi-disciplinary teams, and focus groups were used to identify strengths and weaknesses of the project and future directions.

Conclusions

Results showed positive predispositions to working with each other which were further enhanced by collaborative, interprofessional experience. Students’ confidence in working together in multidisciplinary teams and understanding of the training and expertise of other professions increased after participation and changes were statistically significant. Interprofessional education and community service-based learning may be a powerful combination for demonstrating the value of clinical teamwork to health professions students.

Author Biographies

Taline D Infante, Department of Periodontics, Division of Dental Hygiene, School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; deceased

Department of Periodontics, Division of Dental Hygiene, School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; deceased

Lyda C Arevalo-Flechas, Department of Health Restoration and Care Systems Management, School of NursingUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; currently Texas State University

Department of Health Restoration and Care Systems Management, School of NursingUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; currently Texas State University

Lark A Ford, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Department of Health Restoration and Care Systems Management, School of Nursing

Norma S Partida

Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, School of Dentistry

Norma Ketchum, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine

Brad H Pollock, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine

Anthony J Infante, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Anthony J. Infante, MD, PhD; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine

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Published

2015-05-25

Issue

Section

Articles: Empirical Research