Physical Therapist Student and Community Partner Perspectives and Attitudes Regarding Service-Learning Experiences

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Service learning (SL), a well-established curricular component in many health professions programs, such as dentistry, medicine, and nursing, is now becoming recognized as an effective pedagogical method in physical therapy. However, there is little known about physical therapist student perceptions of and attitudes toward SL, and there is even less information describing the perceptions and attitudes of the community organizations and partners with whom they work. Subjects. Seventy-five physical therapist students and 24 local community-partner organizations participated in this study. Methods. Pencil and paper surveys were administered to assess the impact of SL experiences threaded into the curriculum of a professional physical therapist education program. Results. Both the physical therapist students (100% response rate) and community partners (80% response rate) overwhelmingly indicated that their experiences were positive, that they valued the partnerships, and that they benefited from service learning. Discussion and Conclusion. The fact that both groups perceived benefits from SL experiences provides additional support to the value of SL as a pedagogical method in physical therapist education. Future research should include evaluation of post-graduate and alumni surveys to observe lasting effects of community service experiences on physical therapist practice. Key Words: Physical therapy, Service learning, Outcomes survey research. INTRODUCTION Service learning (SL) is recognized and emphasized as an important component of health care professions education.1-5 It encourages future professionals to practice health promotion and disease-prevention strategies, develops patient/client communication skills, fosters civic and social responsibility, and enhances the understanding of the social, financial, and ethical aspects of health care.2-4,6-8 Service learning, as defined by the Health Professions Schools in Service to the Nation (HPSISN),8 is a structured learning experience that combines community service with explicit learning objectives, preparation, and reflection. Unlike volunteerism, in which the primary focus is the service being provided and the primary beneficiary is the patient/client, SL attempts to balance the service being provided to the community recipient with the student learning experience. 2,3,6 Several nonprofit organizations and government programs have promoted and supported the development of SL initiatives through campus-community partnerships to enhance education, research, and service opportunities.7-13 According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, nearly 2 million students participate in SL at public and private higher-education institutions in the United States, and almost half of the community colleges offer SL courses.14 Although service learning is a wellestablished curricular component in many health professions education programs in fields such as medicine, dentistry, and nursing, physical therapist and occupational therapist education programs have only recently begun incorporating it into their training as a pedagogical tool.5,15-24 The popularity of SL in physical therapist education programs is evident by recent articles and national presentations.24-32 In 2004, Village and colleagues conducted a survey of all accredited physical therapist (PT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) education programs in the United States; the study revealed that many of them provided SL, volunteerism, or some type of pro bono clinics within their curricula.30 The report notes that of the programs responding to the survey, 50 (88%) and 38 (75%) of the PT and PTA programs, respectively, included SL in their curricula.30 Furthermore, 53% of the PT and 20% of the PTA education programs that did not use SL indicated a plan to implement it in the future. Service learning is addressing community health needs and specific educational competencies such as communication, professional behavior, social responsibility, wellness and prevention, screening, and consultation that many clinical education experiences alone may not adequately provide for students. …