LI Course
CE Hours: 3 contact hours

Partnership: This institute will be implemented in collaboration with the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Community Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH), Navajo Division of Health Services and Arizona Area Health Education Centers.

Statement of Purpose and Institute Overview: The purpose of this Institute is to describe the practice and value of innovative service learning teaching formats that immerses students in an environment of health disparity and to build the skills needed to develop and implement a service learning course. Service Learning has been proven to be effective in teaching public health students to apply generalized knowledge learned in a classroom setting to a specific context, to understand the complex relationship between socio-political and even historical factors contributing to health disparities, and to hone their skills in community engagement and problem solving. Service Learning involves community partners as teachers and links experiences to advocacy and action. This institute will offer practical, hands-on guidance for the development and implementation of concrete service learning experiences for health science students. It will provide an orientation to the conceptual framework for service learning, specific to the health professions; building and sustaining community partnerships for service learning courses; developing “real” service learning activities, conducting effective reflection and evaluation. The Institute will engage participants in syllabus development and role play exercises led by faculty, students and community partners who have participated in unique service learning modalities in rural, urban, tribal and US-Mexico border communities. Accomplishments and challenges in program development and implementation will be discussed with specific recommendations for supporting service learning within the health sciences.

Session Objectives: Describe service learning pedagogy and its role in the elimination of health disparities. Identify at least 2 strategies for building and maintaining community partnerships in service learning. Develop 2 examples of “real” service activities that contextualize health disparities. Design a service learning course outline.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)