Rural Interprofessional Service-Learning: the Minnesota Experience

This article provides a descriptive summary of the initial 61 service-learning projects completed by students from various health professions who participated in the Minnesota Rural Health School (MRHS) and indicates the type of projects that have continuing effects. The seven community site coordinators affiliated with the MRHS completed a survey analyzing service-learning projects performed in their communities. Student interest was predominant in selecting 28% of the 61 projects, community interest was paramount in selecting 10%, and a mixture of both student and community interest contributed to 62% of the project selection. Two project examples are described in detail to illustrate the challenges and successes of this type of civic engagement. (Academic Medicine)