Office of Community Engagement

Faculty of Medicine

Service learning

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Community Engaged Service Learning (CESL); where academic study and community service unite in the spirit of social accountability

COMMUNITY ENGAGED SERVICE LEARNING (CESL) PROGRAM INTRODUCTION (MEDI 2612)

CACMS (6.6)

Dalhousie Medicine encourages and supports undergraduate medical education students to participate in service learning activities as an opportunity to gain knowledge of community and patient needs.

Service learning is defined as “A structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection” (CACMS, 2015)

Community Engaged Service Learning Program (MEDI2612) at Dalhousie Medicine

The Community Engaged Service Learning Program (MEDI2612) is offered during the first two years of Undergraduate Medical Education at Dalhousie University. In the first year, the program integrates community engagement concepts into classroom-based learning through Professional Competencies 1. In the second year, students have the option to participate in a community-engaged experience and contribute to a small project.

Students who choose to participate must complete a minimum of 20 hours of service learning during the academic year. They apply for the program and are either matched with community-based not-for-profit organizations that work with marginalized and underserved populations, or they develop their own experiences based on existing partnerships.

The experience includes preparation, critical reflection assignments, and a project deliverable that is relevant and useful for the community partner and the people they serve. Projects are designed in collaboration with community partners and the Service Learning Program.

Community Engaged Service Learning Program Manual with FAQs for students & community partners

Community Engaged Service Learning Program Manual New Partner and student FAQ [PDF 831 KB]

Program Goals

The goals for the Community Engaged Service Learning Program are to:

  1. Enhance students’ learning by enabling them to practice skills and test classroom learned knowledge through related service-based experiences in the community;
  2. Enable students and community partners to engage in experiences that create reciprocal learning opportunities that are informed by the priorities of the people served by the community partner organization;
  3. Create opportunities for students, Faculty, staff and community partners to contribute to the Faculty of Medicine’s commitment to social accountability and the Faculty’s’ strategic pillar of Serving and Engaging Society;
  4. Assist faculty in their role as collaborators and facilitators of community-engaged service learning and in their engagement with the community;
  5. Provide leadership training and scholarly activity to advance community-engaged service learning in the Faculty of Medicine with our community partner organizations.

Student Outcomes

On completion of the Community Engaged Service Learning Program, the student will be able to:

  1. Describe the social determinants of health encountered and develop a critical analysis of how these determinants affected the health of individuals; 
    (Professional 1, 4; Community Contributor 1; Skilled Clinician 1c)
  2. Describe the levels and types of health advocacy and demonstrate the application of health advocacy skills in a community-based setting; (Community Contributor 3, 4; Skilled Clinician 1d)
  3. Demonstrate the ability to learn through experience and reflection;
    (Professional 3, 6; Lifelong Learner 3, 6; Skilled Clinician 1c)
  4. Demonstrate the integration of learning in the classroom and community organization context; (Community Contributor 3, Lifelong Learner 3)

   

   

For more information contact:

Lisa Nardecchia

Program Manager, Community Engaged Service Learning
gho@dal.ca