Evaluating a service-learning assignment in a doctor of chiropractic program public health course

Service learning is used in many educational institutions for health care professions,1 including medical,2,3 nursing,1 and dental4 schools. Reported benefits include providing students opportunities for applying classroom learning to real-world settings, increased understanding of community needs and resources, and relationship building.3 In addition, one study found an association between volunteering and medical school academic performance.5 Hennen,6 as cited by Guidry et al,3 argued that it is necessary to teach medical students social obligation defined as the responsibility ‘‘to direct . . . activities towards addressing the priority health concerns of the community, region and/or nation they have a mandate to serve.’’ Little has been published, however, about service learning in doctor of chiropractic programs (DCPs), with the exception of a small study on student outcomes after international mission trips.7 Since spring 2017, the introductory public health course at our institution has included a service-learning assignment in which students are given a choice to volunteer for a nonprofit, attend a political event, or work on a project related to health in their community (Appendix A is available online accompanying this paper at www. ). As part of this assignment, students are asked to write a short essay reflecting on their experience and how it relates to public health. The service-learning activity and essay replaced a midterm in the course. This assignment could potentially meet several of the public health competencies outlined for DCPs at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA), including ‘‘Demonstrate a basic understanding of the public health systems that exist on local, national, and global levels, especially with regard to organizations, workforce, and financing’’ and ‘‘Identify public engagement strategies that may be used to improve the health of communities and contribute to the reduction of health disparities, recognizing community assets and resources.’’8 The purpose of this study is to formally evaluate the student essays and identify how this assignment changes students’ public health knowledge and attitude