Table 1
Summary of survey questions that were distributed to 84 previous participants of a one-week service learning-trip in Nogales between 2009–2016, 2016.
| Please choose to what extent you agree/disagree with the following statements (1–25): | |
| Strongly Disagree, Somewhat Disagree, Neither Agree/Disagree, Somewhat Agree, Strongly Agree | |
| 1. | My educational experiences on this trip matched my expectations. |
| 2. | I enjoyed the Nogales service-learning trip. |
| 3. | I had positive interactions with the people I encountered in Nogales. |
| 4. | While on the trip, I felt like I was able to draw connections between what I saw/experienced in Nogales and my previous experiences/knowledge. |
| 5. | This trip increased my clinical knowledge base. |
| 6. | This trip enhanced my ability to speak Spanish. |
| 7. | This trip enhanced my ability to educate patients. |
| 8. | This trip enhanced my ability to communicate with patients. |
| 9. | I was exposed to a variety of local opinions on community issues. |
| 10. | The trip enhanced my knowledge of rural health. |
| 11. | The trip enhanced my knowledge of Native American health. |
| 12. | The trip enhanced my knowledge of issues that are unique to border communities. |
| 13. | I learned about the importance of involving the local community in the development/implementation of community programming. |
| 14. | During the trip, I thought about how a person’s motivations for his/her actions should be taken into consideration when assessing the outcomes of his/her actions. |
| 15. | My participation in the Nogales trip had an impact on the Nogales community. |
| 16. | I saw and learned about programs that had an impact on the local community. |
| 17. | I am grateful for being able to participate in the Nogales service-learning trip. |
| 18. | I had experiences on this trip that made me aware of my privilege of access and/or social position as a medical student. |
| 19. | This trip made me more aware of the prevalence of socioeconomic privilege within our society based on race, economics, and/or social position. |
| 20. | This trip enhanced my medical education. |
| 21. | My experience in Nogales will help me/helped me be a better clinician. |
| 22. | My experience on this trip has led me to consider working/work in a rural area. |
| 23. | My experience on this trip has led me to consider working/work in an area with limited healthcare resources. |
| 24. | My experience on this trip has led me to consider pursuing/pursue a career in primary care specialties. |
| 25. | I continue to think about what I experienced and what I learned in Nogales. |
| What are some strengths of the Nogales Service learning trip? | |
| What are some weaknesses of the Nogales Service learning trip? | |
| What are some suggestions for improvement? | |
Table 2
Themes and selected statements from 35 journal entries that were completed by medical students during their one-week service learning-trip in Nogales, 2016.
| Theme | % of Reflections | Sample journal entries |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit lessons and insights | ||
| Personal benefit (i.e. improving clinical knowledge, connecting previous experiences with new ones, and increasing awareness about Native American, migrant and rural health issues) | 100.0 | “Understanding their approach to migrant justice was really interesting because it was very similar to harm reduction principles in medicine.” |
| Felt that experiences would influence their future medical career | 42.8 | “I was thinking that I might be able to work in a rural community, which surprised me because I had previously thought that I might only work in rural communities abroad, with a focus on more urban medicine or practicing in a more metropolitan area in my future career.” |
| Expression of gratitude for educational/clinical/professional exposures or impact on community | 37.1 | “Unfortunately, in medical school, it’s rare to have an opportunity to discuss and reflect upon our profession so intensely, and I’m immensely thankful we were lucky enough to have this chance, and with such great mentors contributing and facilitating.” |
| Implicit lessons and insights | ||
| Shaped how they view privilege, both personal and observed in members of the community | 40.0 | “…as physicians with so much social capital and privilege, we have a responsibility to advocate for radical change to best serve the needs of our patients.” |
| Inspired to continue reflecting on experiences after returning home from trip | 34.2 | “This makes me think about what it means to meaningfully impact the health of a patient and the teamwork that is necessary to have substantial change.” |
| Perceived impact on the community | 34.2 | “I think I was able to convince some people how important it was to cut down on their sugar intake.” |
| How do motivations impact value of another’s action | 22.8 | “I believe that someone’s views and opinions do matter, especially when they hold so much economic and social power. It is not enough to say ‘he does good work,’ because to be very honest, he is a wealthy white man who has a lot of influence in a low-income community of color.” |
Table 3
Survey responses received from 48 previous students who participated on the one-week service learning-trip in Nogales, Arizona between 2009–2016.
| Statement | Agree (%) | Disagree (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact on Medical Education | “…enhanced my medical education.” | 47 (97.9) | 1 (2.1) |
| “…enhanced my ability to educate patients.” | 41 (85.4) | 7 (14.6) | |
| “…enhanced my ability to communicate with patients.” | 39 (81.3) | 9 (18.7) | |
| “…increased my clinical knowledge.” | 34 (70.8) | 14 (29.2) | |
| “…improved my ability to speak Spanish.” | 25 (52.1) | 23 (47.9) | |
| “…enhanced my knowledge regarding rural health.” | 48 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| “…enhanced my knowledge regarding migrant health.” | 46 (95.8) | 2 (4.2) | |
| “…enhanced my knowledge regarding Native American health.” | 34 (70.8) | 14 (29.2) | |
| “…learned about the importance of involving the local community in the development/implementation of community programming.” | 45 (93.8) | 3 (6.2) | |
| “…thought about how a person’s motivations for his/her actions should be taken into consideration when assessing the outcomes of his/her actions.” | 32 (66.7) | 16 (33.3) | |
| “…made me aware of my privilege of access and/or social position as a medical student.” | 47 (97.9) | 1 (2.1) | |
| “…made me more aware of the prevalence of socioeconomic privilege within our society based on race, economics, and/or social position.” | 45 (93.8) | 3 (6.2) | |
| Impact on Medical Career | “…will help me/helped me be a better clinician.” | 44 (91.7) | 4 (8.3) |
| “…has led me to consider working/work in a rural area.” | 28 (58.3) | 16 (41.7) | |
| “…has led me to consider working/work in an area with limited healthcare resources.” | 38 (79.2) | 10 (20.8) | |
| “…has led me to consider pursuing/pursue a career in primary care specialties.” | 25 (52.1) | 13 (47.9) |