An innovative home-based interdisciplinary service-learning experience.
The University of North Carolina Mobile Student Health Action Coalition (UNC MSHAC) at Chapel Hill, North Carolina is a voluntary service-learning program in which interdisciplinary teams of graduate level health professional students provide monthly home visits to isolated, community-dwelling elders with complex medical and social issues. Students are mentored by UNC clinical faculty and retirees from the local community. Together, mentors and students generate action plans to improve the health and well-being of the participating elders. We report here the qualitative and quantitative results from our program evaluation demonstrating UNC MSHAC as an effective, service-learning model that compliments curricula, is satisfactory to students, and is a vehicle for academic institutions to serve elders in the local community.
McWilliams
Andrew
A
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Center for Aging and Health, 261A MacNider, CB 7550, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. andrew_mcwilliams@med.unc.edu
Rosemond
Cherie
C
Roberts
Ellen
E
Calleson
Diane
D
Busby-Whitehead
Jan
J
D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations