The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68942

Susan M. Swider, PhD, RN¹, Amy Valukas, MPH², and Steven K. Rothschild, MD². (1) College of Nursing, Rush University, 600 S. Paulina, Rm. 1028B, Chicago, IL 60612, 312 942-8826, sswider@rushu.rush.edu, (2) Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush Medical College, 1700 W. Van Buren, Suite 470, Chicago, IL 60612

Interdisciplinary Student Community Service Initiative: A Demonstration Project

RPSLMC has long been a leader in volunteer community service opportunities for its medical students (Rush Community Service Initiative Program) and in interdisciplinary education (Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training program). Building on this past experience, faculty and students have developed a volunteer community service learning program which includes students from a variety of health profession programs at RPSLMC (medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, nutrition, speech pathology, and health systems management). This project is voluntary and student led. The purpose of this program is to:

1) develop a student led service project in partnership with a community agency that meets the health needs of an under-served community on the West Side of Chicago 2) enable students to develop clinical and leadership skills while learning to work with students from other health disciplines; 3) enable students to develop skills in cultural competency and community health practice; 4) evaluate the effects of community service learning experiences on students' attitudes towards, and knowledge of, other health care disciplines.

Learning Objectives:

• This session will assist participants in planning, implementing, and evaluating a interdisciplinary student community service project.
• The participant will have an increased understanding of key components of a successful student community service project.
• The participant will be able to describe barriers to developing an interdisciplinary student project.
• The participant will be able to provide examples of the benefits to health profession students of an interdisciplinary community service project.

Keywords: Students, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.