Service-Learning in Communities of Elders (SLICE): Development and Evaluation of an Introductory Geriatrics Course for Medical Students

Problem: Medical students have limited exposure to Geriatrics in their traditional training. Service-learning offers students the opportunity to engage with older adult communities and become more comfortable interacting with this population. Intervention: A preclinical elective course was developed to expand medical students' experiences in Geriatrics through service-learning. In this course, students conducted needs assessments in diverse older adult communities, created health education projects to address community-identified needs, and reflected on their experiences through written assignments and presentations. The course instructor presented lectures on special topics in Geriatrics, including ageism and health literacy. The curriculum aimed to familiarize students with older adults' needs in a variety of settings. Context: Over 3years, 74 students participated in the service-learning course. Students were assigned to older adult community sites, where they conducted needs assessments and designed and implemented original educational projects targeting community concerns. Program evaluation methods included a validated survey assessing students' attitudes toward older adults, course evaluations, review of student assignments and projects, and feedback from older adult participants and site coordinators. Outcome: Students gained hands-on experience working with older adults and designing appropriate health education projects. Analysis of attitude surveys demonstrated students' increased interest in Geriatrics as a career. Both students and older adult participants described enjoyable, valuable experiences gained from service-learning activities. Lessons Learned: Students appreciated the combination of community and classroom learning about Geriatrics. Service-learning was most constructive at sites with responsive coordinators, engaged older adults, and a need for health education resources. The course challenged students to assess health needs in communities that included cognitively impaired elders and to design educational projects tailored to older adults.