INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE LEARNING: PROMOTING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PHYSICAL THERAPIST EDUCATION. Holly H. Wise*; Sandra S. Brotherton Rehab Sciences, Medical University of SC, Charleston, SC UNIQUE: The development of professionalism in physical therapy is critical to the successful transition to a doctoring profession. The core values associated with professionalism have been integrated into A Normative Model for Physical Therapist Professional Education: Version 2004. However, little information exists on strategies to facilitate the development of social responsibility, one of the core values that comprise professionalism. PURPOSE: This presentation will describe innovative community-based service learning experiences that meet the needs of residents and health care practitioners living in medically underserved areas while providing opportunities for physical therapist students to develop social responsibility. FOUNDATION: Community Connections: Partners for Learning and Service, a 3-year training grant, provided the enabling mechanism to conceptualize the development of social responsibility in physical therapist students. This grant was designed to increase the number of clinical training sites for allied health students and to deliver much needed allied health services in medically underserved, health professions shortage areas. Consequently, community-based service learning experiences were embedded within the curriculum and students, in collaboration with faculty, helped meet identified community needs that were related to Healthy People 2010. DESCRIPTION: Social responsibility is defined as the response of the profession to societal needs for health and wellness through the development of mutual trust between the public and the physical therapy profession. An overview of strategies employed to develop social responsibility in several community-based projects will be presented. The projects range from health and balance screening of older adults living in government-assisted housing to the development and presentation of a 3-hour continuing education workshop for rural, allied health practitioners. Additional strategies used within the curriculum include the development of learning objectives, class presentations, and critical reflection papers pertaining to core values associated with professionalism. OBSERVATIONS: Qualitative and quantitative information was collected from physical therapist students and community participants regarding the effectiveness of the community projects. Student feedback was obtained through the use of a survey consisting of 9 questions rated on a scale of 1(strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree), one additional question about the student's overall perception of the experience, and 3 open-ended questions requiring critical reflection on the experience. Sample feedback from the students (n=44) who participated in health screening for older adults indicated that they learned a lot from being in the community (mean = 1.5) and reported a desire for more community experiences (mean = 1.9). Responses to open-ended questions pertaining to the aspects of the experience that the students liked the best included comments about the opportunities to improve the quality of life for the individuals, 2) reach out to the community, and 3) interact with individuals in need of services. Participant feedback was obtained using a similar survey format. Sample feedback from rural health care practitioners in the continuing education workshop was obtained using a program summation form prior to the provision of certificates of continuing education credit. The program summation form assessed perception of learner achievement of workshop objectives and teaching effectiveness of the student presenters. The evaluative criteria were rated on a scale of 1(strongly disagree) to 4(strongly agree). Practitioners (n=17) indicated that they achieved the workshop objective related to the integration of health education and promotion of health, wellness, and fitness into a plan of care (mean = 3.9). In addition, the practitioners felt that the presentation was organized (mean = 4.0), the content was based on current professional/scientific information (mean= 3.8), and that the presentation level was appropriate for their background and experience (mean= 3.8). CONCLUSIONS: Community-based service learning provides experiential opportunities for physical therapist students to develop professionalism. Social responsibility can be promoted through the development and implementation of projects designed to meet identified community health needs. These projects are based on reflective practice and promote the attainment of professionalism in physical therapy which is critical for the successful transition to a doctoring profession. FUNDING SOURCE: Project Grant 1D37HP00876-01, Dept. of HHS, HRSA. There is no potential for material gain as a result of participation in this grant. KEYWORDS: Professionalism, Social Responsibility, Physical Therapist Professional Education, Community-based Service Learning Copyright 2009 by the American Physical Therapy Association. Requests for reprints should be directed to the corresponding author of the article. Educators, students, and other academic customers may receive permission to reprint copyrighted material from Physical Therapy (ISSN 1538-6724) by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center Inc, 222 Rosewood Dr, Danvers, MA 01923. Other types of customers who want permission to reprint should contact the APTA Editorial Office, Attn: Physical Therapy.