Fostering Socially Accountable Physicians: Medical Students' Perspectives on the Educational Impact of a Longitudinal Service-Learning Course Series.
Article
Alarcon, Lizzeth N, Clarke, Rachel D, Lage, Onelia et al. (2026). Fostering Socially Accountable Physicians: Medical Students' Perspectives on the Educational Impact of a Longitudinal Service-Learning Course Series.
. CUREUS, 18(4), e106658. 10.7759/cureus.106658
Alarcon, Lizzeth N, Clarke, Rachel D, Lage, Onelia et al. (2026). Fostering Socially Accountable Physicians: Medical Students' Perspectives on the Educational Impact of a Longitudinal Service-Learning Course Series.
. CUREUS, 18(4), e106658. 10.7759/cureus.106658
Background There is a growing consensus that longitudinal service-learning curricula can be more effective in promoting social accountability than shorter-term elective experiences. The Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU HWCOM) has a required longitudinal, service-learning course series, the Community Engaged Physician (CEP), where students conduct household visits in underserved Miami-Dade County communities through the Green Family Foundation's Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP). Aim This cross-sectional study examined FIU HWCOM's graduating medical students' perspectives on the perceived impact that CEP/NeighborhoodHELP has had on their medical education. Methods A Qualtrics survey (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA) was developed using the courses' learning objectives and validated with the third-year students (class of 2025) at our medical school. A week before graduation, the validated survey was shared with the class of 2024. The survey included specialty choice and five-point Likert-type questions assessing the perceived impact of CEP/NeighborhoodHELP on students' education in the areas of interprofessional teamwork, the social determinants of health (SDOH), and care of diverse populations. Descriptive analyses were conducted to assess student responses. Results Fifty-one students completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 53% among those present (51/96), which represents 42.5% of the graduating class (51/120). Most respondents (68%) were satisfied with their CEP/NeighborhoodHELP experience. Eighty-eight percent reported increased confidence in their interprofessional teamwork and a stronger understanding of physicians' roles in promoting health equity. Conclusion Our graduating students perceived the structured service-learning experiences in CEP as impactful. Integrating service-learning as a required and longitudinal component of the curriculum yields highly positive and meaningful student experiences.
