Community Based Learning: A Milestone for Health Science Students for Academic and Professional Development

Authors

  • Muni Raj Chhetri Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine; Dean, School of Public Health, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS), Jumla, Nepal
  • Kamal Phuyal CRTIR, National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS)
  • Kapil Amgain Editor-in-Chief – Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (JKAHS); Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Anatomy & Cell Biology, Jumla, Nepal

Keywords:

CBL, Medical Educaion, Community Based Learning, Problem Based Learning

Abstract

Community-based learning (CBL) is a teaching strategy that integrates academic coursework with community engagement. It connects academic theories and real-life problems at the community level. Students get an opportunity to learn academic content based on ground realities working in collaboration with community stakeholders. The main objective of CBL is to help both students and community stakeholders actively participate in the process to explore and understand the local realities which support them to learn from each other. It is an opportunity for community people to understand their problems as well as potentials in a more systematic and structured way that will help to develop plans for the positive change in society.

Keeping in mind the importance of CBL, ‘community field programs’ are integrated into the curriculum of MBBS, BPH and Nursing programs. Usually, all the health science students of Nepal make a one-month residential field visit in the first or second academic year depending upon the curriculum of different academia for participatory community health diagnosis where they learn about the health problems at the community level and the planning process with local people for health promotion and disease prevention. Thus, CBL has been an integral part of the curriculum of Health Sciences.

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Published

2021-04-29

How to Cite

1.
Chhetri MR, Phuyal K, Amgain K. Community Based Learning: A Milestone for Health Science Students for Academic and Professional Development. Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences [Internet]. 2021Apr.29 [cited 2024May12];4(1). Available from: http://jkahs.org.np/jkahs/index.php/jkahs/article/view/478

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