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

Abstract

English: 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.

Afrikaans: Agtergrond: Klagtes deur die samelewing dat die mediese beroep nie hul behoeftes aanspreek nie, die verhouding van spesialiste tot primêre sorg geneeshere en die feit dat menslike hulpbronne in die privaatsektor gekonsentreer is, het aanleiding gegee tot die ondersoek na nuwe onderrig en leer metodes. Gemeenskapsgebaseerde-onderwys (GBO) is een van die die onderrigmetodes wat hierdie besware kan aanspreek. Doel: Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of gemeenskapsgebaseerde aktiwiteite studente kon help om teorie en praktyk te integreer en om te bepaal of dit hul houding en gedrag teenoor die gemeenskap beinvloed het. Voorts is gepoog om te bepaal of gemeenskapsblootstelling studente motiveer en entoesiasme jeens GBO aanwakker. Hierdie doelwitte is bereik deur studente opinie aangaande die leer proses, ondervinding en assessering, en voordele vir die gemeenskap en dienste te bepaal. Die finale doel was om die GBO model in module MED 113 te verfyn om as verwysing te dien vir die ontwikkeling van ander GBO aktiwiteite. Metode: Dit was 'n kwantitatiewe studie wat 'n literatuurstudie en voltooiing van vraelyste deur eerstejaar mediese studente, leerders, gemeenskapsgesondheidsorgwerkers en verteenwoordigers van instansies wat aan GBO aktiwiteite deelgeneem het, ingesluit het. Resultate: Daar was 'n 75.7% positiewe respons t.o.v. die integrasie van teorie en praktyk en 77.9% respondente het 'n verandering in houding teenoor die gemeenskap rapporteer. 93.6% van respondente se entoesiasme vir GBO is aangewakker. 94.3% en 54.1 % van respondente was positieften opsigte van die ondervinding en die metode van assessering onderskeidelik. Daar was 'n 100% positiewe respons van leerders, gemeenskapsgesondheidsorgwerkers en verteenwoordigers van instansies t.o.v. die leergeleentheid vir skoliere en werkers en waarde vir die instansies onderskeidelik. Samevatting: Aanbevelings ter verbetering van die GBO aktiwiteite in MED 113 is gemaak om dit as model vir ander modules te kan gebruik.