An emergency medicine based model for community-engaged learning

Abstract

Community-engaged learning (CEL) integrates community service with structured learning to strengthen the knowledge and skills of future physicians while still in medical school. A national model forCEL during medical school does not currently exist. Emergency physicians have the opportunity to play a vital role in medical student education using CEL as a platform. This article elucidates the structure of a bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (B-CPR) CEL program developed by emergency physicians that could serve as a national model for community engagement. As B-CPR is a well-known evidence-based community intervention that can be taught by students and implemented by the community, it represents an ideal CEL that can also have a measurable impact on local B-CPR rates. The development and structure of a B-CPR CEL program, lessons learned, and impact on B-CPR in a local area are reported.