Service Learning as a Component of Physician Assistant Education: The Development of a Compassionate Practitioner

Abstract

Purpose: To determine whether a service learning experience offered to physician assistant (PA) students helped to develop their leadership skills and awareness of social justice issues. Methods: Pre- and posttests using a 5-point Likert scale measured the impact of this project among a nonrandom sample of 68 PA student participants who completed 10 hours of service learning at various inner-city helping organizations such as shelters, rescue missions, and soup kitchens. The students ranked their level of competence in various leadership areas, and rated their interests in a variety of social justice concerns. Paired t tests identified differences in self-perception of leadership competencies and social justice interests before and after the service learning. Results: Significant increase were noted in all 10 self-perception ratings of leadership competencies as well as 6 of 7 social justice interest domains post service learning experience. Conclusion: Hands-on activities significantly increase students' self-perception of competencies in leadership and interest in social justice. We offer this as a strategy for the development of an empathic, compassionate practitioner.