Service-Learning: increasing civic responsibility in Pakistani students Rukhsana Aslam, Tara Jaffery & Zareen Zaidi Context and setting Given the host of social problems Pakistan faces, it is important to increase awareness among its youth about their civic role in society. A service learning project was implemented in an urban community health centre visited by women of reproductive age, with students from a social sciences college, in Lahore, Pakistan. Why the idea was necessary The Pakistani education system lacks programmes that provide learning in the context of real-life situations. Service learning integrates community service with academic learning. It develops civic responsibility and strengthens communities by emphasising interaction. Students reflect on their experiences in a process that enhances their learning and improves their communication skills. The programme was designed to increase students’ awareness of their civic responsibilities by involving them in the community in connection with a national health problem, iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), which is highly prevalent (> 44%) in women in Pakistan. This interaction was devel- oped to foster a bond between the students and the community and to address an identified need at the same time. What was done Thirteen students from a girls’ college volunteered to work in the project. They spent 26 hours during their spring semester with women at a community health centre. Prior to commencing the project, the students participated in interactive role-play communication skills sessions and also spent 6 hours with a facilitator learning about IDA. The students’ perceptions regarding their ability to communicate with others were recorded both before and after the project. Students’ perceptions of their civic role were collected before and after the project using the K-12 Civic Responsibility Survey 1 and through a focus group discussion. A total of 48 community women volunteered to enrol in the programme. A validated tool adapted for this study was used to gauge the community women’s understanding of the causes, signs, symptoms and prevention of IDA before and after the educational intervention. Evaluation of results and impact The students showed statistically significant improvements on measures of connection to the community (p = 0.013), civic awareness and attitude (p < 0.001) and civic action and efficacy (p < 0.001). Similar improvement was seen in the responses to the self perceived communication competence scale survey. Student awareness of their civic role in society and their understanding of the problems faced by the community were increased. Students reported feeling a sense of satisfaction in working with the community, as well as with their health-related knowledge and their ability to disseminate it to the community. The community women reported improved knowl- edge about IDA, especially its prevention. They reported positive feelings about interacting with students. The project generated a ripple effect among the students’ college faculty staff, who now plan to include service learning in the institution’s curriculum. REFERENCE 1 Furco A, Muller P, Ammon MS. Civic Responsibility Survey. 1998. http://cart.rmcdenver.com/instruments/ civic_responsibility.pdf. [Accessed 15 February 2010.] Correspondence: Dr Rukhsana Aslam, Department of Medical Education, Fatima Memorial Medical and Dental College, Shadman, Lahore, Punjab 755180, Pakistan. Tel: 00 92 4237586196-7; Fax: 00 92 37570586; E-mail: rukhsana117@hotmail.com doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.03974.x An interdisciplinary multi-institutional conference for rising chief residents Laura K Snydman & Maria A Blanco Context and setting For the past 3 years we have held an interdisciplinary faculty development conference for rising chief residents at all of our affiliated institutions. The 4.5-hour conference occurs at the end of April, a few months prior to the start of the chief year. Why the idea was necessary Most disciplines hold annual retreats for rising chief residents, but these retreats are discipline-specific. Although there are some key differences within each discipline, the job of the chief resident is often not discipline-specific. Having rising chief residents from different disciplines participate in the conference allows for interdisciplinary exchange and could lead to future collaboration. The goal of our conference is to help 524 Ó Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2011; 45: 508–535 really good stuff