Service Learning Policy
Background
Service-learning (SL) is an educational approach that integrates curricular content and fulfillment of learning objectives with community service to provide a learning experience while meeting societal needs. SL is aimed at instilling a sense of civic responsibility and promoting community engagement.
Service learning is defined by the LCME as educational experiences that involve all of the following components:
- Medical students’ service to the community in activities that respond to community-identified concerns;
- Student preparation; and
- Student reflection on the relationships among their participation in the activity, their medical school curriculum, and their roles as citizens and medical professionals
Given the importance of SL to development of medical students as professionals, BSOM Milestone 5.1 requires students to “care deeply about becoming an excellent physician through a life of service”. The following policy has been adopted in accordance with BSOM Milestone 5.1 and LCME Element 6.6, listed below:
“The faculty of a medical school ensure that the medical education program provides sufficient opportunities for, encourages, and supports medical student participation in service-learning and/or community service activities.”
Policy
Students in the Foundations phase are required to complete a minimum of 16 hours of service learning in a community site or for an initiative that provides a service to members of the community. The list of approved sites/initiatives can be found in the Service Learning community in BAMS.
Students who are engaged in a service activity similar to an approved activity but at a different organization may contact the service learning coordinator with a request to consider it for service learning credit.
Students are required to submit documentation of completion of service learning hours provided by the community site to the service learning dropbox in BAMS prior to the end of the Foundations phase and also required to submit a reflection on their service learning experience and how it relates to a commitment to medicine as a life of service, among other prompts.
In accordance with the Student Success Policy (Policy for Promotion section), students must pass all Foundations components and BSOM Milestones before advancing to the Doctoring phase.
Approved by FCC 11/30/22
