Using community-based service learning projects to improve surgical instruction

Service learning has become a widely used tool for educating in many public schools, colleges, universities, and professional schools, and has the potential to be a more heavily utilized tool in the education of veterinary students. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University has utilized service learning in association with area humane organizations for many years in the fourth-year veterinary curriculum as a method of instructing these students in techniques of veterinary surgery. Recently, the service learning program has been expanded to support the laboratory portion of a required third-year surgery course. The mechanics of both the fourth- and third-year service learning projects are described in detail in this article. Additionally, the key components of successful service learning programs are discussed, as are the benefits derived from the service learning projects at Texas A&M University.

Using community-based service learning projects to improve surgical instruction Academic Article