Community-based education (CBE) - the MED 113 Expo as case study

Background: Societal complaints that health professionals do not address their needs, the ratio of specialist to primary health care professionals and that human resources in health services are concentrated in the private sector, urged new methods of teaching and learning to be explored. Community-based Education (CBE) is one of the educational approaches that could address these concerns. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine if community-based activities could help students to integrate theory and practice, and influence attitude and behaviour towards the community. In addition it aimed to determine if community exposure motivated students and stimulated their enthusiasm towards CBE. These aims were achieved by determining student opinion on the learning process, experience and assessment as well as determining whether the community and services benefited in any way. The final aim was to refine the community-based education model in module MED113 to serve as future reference for development of CBE approach in other modules. Method: It was a quantitative study including a literature study and the completion of questionnaires by first year medical students, learners, community health care workers and representatives of institutions participating in CBE activities. Results: The results yielded a 75.7% positive response with regards the integration of theory and practice and a 77.9% positive response regarding change in attitudes towards the community. 93.6% of respondents' enthusiasm towards CBE activities improved. 94.3% and 54.1 % of respondents were positive regarding the experience and method of assessment respectively. There was a 100% positive response by learners, community health workers and representatives of institutions with regards the learning experience and value for the institutions respectively. Conclusion: Recommendations regarding changes to the CBE activities of MED 113 were made to use it as model in other CBE modules.