Athletic Training Students’ Perceptions of Civic Engagement After a Service-Learning Experience in a Free Medical Clinic

Abstract

Context The benefits of service-learning experiences have been reported throughout health care education, yet no recent empirical investigations have been made of the effect of service-learning experiences on athletic training students. Two commentaries, published over 10 years ago, promoted the benefits of and need for service-learning experiences in athletic training education, yet no studies have been published that measure the effect of service-learning in athletic training education. Objective To assess athletic training students’ attitudes and perceptions of community service and civic engagement after participating in a service-learning experience involving underserved populations. Design Quasiexperimental. Setting Free medical clinic in an urban location in the Midwest. Patients or Other Participants Twenty-eight final year undergraduate athletic training students (18 females, 10 males, 21.3 ± 0.6 years old). Intervention(s) Students participated in 4 hours of service-learning experience in the fall and spring semesters, for a total of 8 hours, in a free medical clinic. Main Outcome Measure(s) The Center for Healthy Communities Service-learning Survey (1999, with permission) was administered anonymously online (Qualtrics Inc) before and after the service-learning experience. Results Statistically significant changes were found in 3 of the 15 items: “I feel well prepared to practice my profession in a community similar to the community in which my placement is located” (U = 242, Z = −2.205, P = .027), “I believe students should volunteer their time helping people without resources” (U = 235.5, Z = −2.244, P = .025), and “I feel that I can have a positive impact on the community in which I work by volunteering my time” (U = 253, Z = −2.054, P = .040). Conclusions Athletic training programs should consider incorporating service-learning into their curriculum to enhance their students’ preparation to serve diverse patient populations and become civically engaged professionals.