title: Health professional students in community service: insights from trainees and their mentors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To gain insights from the experiences of student health professionals working with agencies caring for the underserved.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred and sixty-six (566) U.S. Albert Schweitzer Fellows from 90 professional schools in six sites participated in year-long mentored, entrepreneurial service and leadership development projects in community agencies. Focusing on their experiences, Fellows completed pre- and post-service surveys, and agency mentors completed a post-service survey about their experiences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fellows' confidence in 11 of 16 service-related skills increased, and their concerns about lack of knowledge, skills, experience, recognition, and mentoring as barriers to service decreased. Their concerns about time constraints increased. Agency mentors reported that 85% of Fellows' projects made significant contributions to their agencies or clients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An entrepreneurial, mentored service experience can have a positive impact on health professional students and may provide benefits to the communities served.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Division of General Medicine & Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 1309 Beacon St, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02446, USA. jwalker1@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hannibal
authors.forename: Meghan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Roger B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Lachlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forrow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional; D016520:Entrepreneurship; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008611:Mentors; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult