NEW YORK — When visiting the doctor, everyone wants to be treated by an expert, but also someone who is compassionate and understands the community they serve.
That’s the mission behind a new course at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx that all its aspiring doctors must take.
What is “service learning”?
” Service learning ” is a required course at Einstein, launched in 2022 and directed by Dr. Lauren Roth.
“To instill the sense of social responsibility into our medical students during their formative years of training,” Roth said.
It’s mapped out across all four years of education. It starts with bringing students into Bronx neighborhoods to learn about the history, strengths and needs of the borough.
Medical students then pair up with a community organization to deepen their understanding of community resources and the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, like access to food or transportation.