title: Service learning: a vehicle for building health equity and eliminating health disparities.
abstract: Service learning (SL) is a form of community-centered experiential education that places emerging health professionals in community-generated service projects and provides structured opportunities for reflection on the broader social, economic, and political contexts of health. We describe the elements and impact of five distinct week-long intensive SL courses focused on the context of urban, rural, border, and indigenous health contexts. Students involved in these SL courses demonstrated a commitment to community-engaged scholarship and practice in both their student and professional lives. SL is directly in line with the core public health value of social justice and serves as a venue to strengthen community-campus partnerships in addressing health disparities through sustained collaboration and action in vulnerable communities.
authors.affiliation: All authors are from the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabo
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Zapien
authors.forename: Nicolette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Teufel-Shone
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bergsma
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001130:Arizona; D004500:Education, Graduate; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011204:Poverty Areas; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D016730:Program Development; D012581:Schools, Public Health / Q000458:organization & administration; D012935:Social Justice; D014504:Urban Health; D055815:Young Adult