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ABSTRACT
Introduction. Community immersion programs are pivotal in bridging theoretical knowledge with practical experience in public health education. This study evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of a community immersion program at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMSB), University of Yaoundé I, focusing on student experiences, program utility, and operational challenges. Methodology. We conducted a mixed-methods cross-sectional study in November 2021 involving 67 medical and dental students. Data collection included structured questionnaires with Likert-scale ratings and open-ended responses. Analysis comprised descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of qualitative feedback. Results. Most participants (88.1%, n=59) were aged 18-24 years, with balanced gender distribution (59.7% female). Field visits were rated "very useful" by 77.6% (n=52) of participants, while 67.2% (n=45) found report preparation beneficial. Program timing satisfaction was high (73.2%, n=49 rating "good" or "very good"), though 19.4% (n=13) considered the duration insufficient. Supervisor availability varied significantly, with 46.3% (n=31) reporting inconsistent access. Qualitative analysis revealed four primary challenges: inadequate supervisor engagement, large group sizes (reported by 32.5%, n=25), community resistance, and logistical constraints. Overall program satisfaction reached 65.7% (n=44), despite implementation challenges. Conclusion. While the FMSB community immersion program demonstrates promising educational value, significant operational improvements are needed. Key recommendations include optimizing supervisor-student ratios, reducing group sizes, enhancing pre-immersion preparation, and strengthening community partnerships. These findings provide valuable insights for improving community-based medical education programs in resource-limited settings.
RÉSUMÉ
Introduction. Les programmes d'immersion communautaire jouent un rôle essentiel dans l'établissement de liens entre les connaissances théoriques et l'expérience pratique en formation en santé publique. Cette étude évalue la mise en œuvre et l'efficacité d'un programme d'immersion communautaire à la Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales (FMSB) de l'Université de Yaoundé I, en se concentrant sur les expériences des étudiants, l'utilité du programme et les défis opérationnels. Méthodologie. Nous avons mené une étude transversale à méthodes mixtes en novembre 2021 impliquant 67 étudiants en médecine et en dentisterie. La collecte des données comprenait des questionnaires structurés avec des évaluations sur l'échelle de Likert et des réponses ouvertes. L'analyse comportait des statistiques descriptives et une analyse thématique des retours qualitatifs. Résultats. La majorité des participants (88,1%, n=59) était âgée de 18 à 24 ans, avec une distribution équilibrée entre les sexes (59,7% de femmes). Les visites sur le terrain ont été jugées "très utiles" par 77,6% (n=52) des participants, tandis que 67,2% (n=45) ont trouvé la préparation des rapports bénéfique. La satisfaction concernant le calendrier du programme était élevée (73,2%, n=49 l'évaluant comme "bon" ou "très bon"), bien que 19,4% (n=13) aient considéré la durée insuffisante. La disponibilité des superviseurs variait significativement, 46,3% (n=31) signalant un accès inconsistant. L'analyse qualitative a révélé quatre défis principaux : l'engagement insuffisant des superviseurs, la taille importante des groupes (signalée par 32,5%, n=25), la résistance communautaire et les contraintes logistiques. La satisfaction globale du programme a atteint 65,7% (n=44), malgré les défis de mise en œuvre. Conclusion. Bien que le programme d'immersion communautaire de la FMSB démontre une valeur éducative prometteuse, des améliorations opérationnelles significatives sont nécessaires. Les recommandations clés incluent l'optimisation des ratios superviseur-étudiants, la réduction de la taille des groupes, l'amélioration de la préparation pré-immersion et le renforcement des partenariats communautaires. Ces résultats fournissent des informations clés pour l'amélioration des programmes d'éducation médicale communautaire dans les contextes à ressources limitées.
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References
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- 22. Al-Mahmadhi, A. S. H., Al-Zabadani, R. A. H., Al Shareya, D. A. A., Al Shariah, K. A. O., Al Shariah, S. A. A., Al-Shariah, H. A. A., ... & Al Murdif, S. N. H. (2024). Comprehensive Review of Healthcare Workforce Development: Bridging Education, Technology, and Practice. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(8), 6581-6592.
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- 24. Evaluation of the WHO community engagement research initiative. Manila: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific; 2023. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
- 25. Asamoah-Atakorah, S., Brobbey, S. S., Amaniampong, O. A., Maximous, D., Doodo, S. W., & Benneh Mensah, G. (2024). The Role of Clinical Supervision in Practical Skill Acquisition of Health Trainees in Ghana. Journal of Health Medicine and Nursing, 114(10.7176), 114-03.
- 26. Raza, A., & Hussain, N. (2022). Problems and challenges of future medical education: current state and development prospects. Futurity Education, 2(3), 31-43.
- 27. Toh, C., & Grover, A. (2025). “I Wish I Could Do More”: Institutional and Systemic Barriers to Effective Community-Engaged Learning for Equity and Inclusion in STEM Disciplines.
- 28. Talib, Z. M., Baingana, R. K., Sagay, A. S., Van Schalkwyk, S. C., Mehtsun, S., & Kiguli-Malwadde, E. (2013). Investing in community-based education to improve the quality, quantity, and retention of physicians in three African countries. Education for Health, 26(2), 109-114.
- 29. Buchanan, K., Velandia, M., Weckend, M., & Bayes, S. (2021). Learning objectives of cultural immersion programs: A scoping review. Nurse Education Today, 100, 104832.
- 30. King, N. S., & Upadhyay, B. (2022). Negotiating mentoring relationships and support for Black and Brown early‐career faculty. Science Education, 106(5), 1149-1171.
- 31. Di Pietro, G. (2022). International internships and skill development: A systematic review. Review of Education, 10(2), e3363.
- 32. Varela, O. E. (2017). Learning outcomes of study-abroad programs: A meta-analysis. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 16(4), 531-561.
- 33. Chastonay, P., Zesiger, V., Klohn, A., Soguel, L., Mpinga, E. K., Vu, N., & Bernheim, L. (2013). Development and evaluation of a community immersion program during preclinical medical studies: A 15-year experience at the University of Geneva Medical School. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 4, 69-76. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S41090.
References
1. Huffstetler, A. N., Phillips Jr, R. L., Leyns, C. C., Willis, J. S., & Canchihuaman, F. A. (2023). People-centered health services. In Person Centered Medicine (pp. 135-150). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
2. Bakunda, L., Crooks, R., Johnson, N., Osei-Tutu, K., Bharwani, A., Gye, E., ... & Roach, P. (2024). Redefining professionalism to improve health equity in competency based medical education (CBME): A qualitative study. MedEdPublish, 14, 237.
3. Alharbi, N. S. (2024). Evaluating competency-based medical education: a systematized review of current practices. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 612.
4. Ray, R. A., Young, L., & Lindsay, D. (2018). Shaping medical student’s understanding of and approach to rural practice through the undergraduate years: a longitudinal study. BMC medical education, 18, 1-8.
5. Madigan, S., Thiemann, R., Deneault, A. A., Fearon, R. P., Racine, N., Park, J., ... & Neville, R. D. (2024). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences in child population samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics.
6. Chikezie, U., & Shomuyiwa, O. (2023). Addressing the issue of a depleting health workforce in sub-Saharan Africa. The Lancet, 401(10382), 1234-1235. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00720-1
7. Mullan, F., & Frehywot, S. (2007). Non-physician clinicians in 47 countries: A global survey of medical schools. Human Resources for Health, 5(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-5-1
8. World Health Organization. (2022). *Global strategy on human resources for health: workforce 2030 (A75/15). Provisional agenda item 15. https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA75/A75_15-en.pdf
9. Ohta, R., Ryu, Y., & Sano, C. (2021). The contribution of citizens to community-based medical education in Japan: a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1575.
10. Nurunnabi, A. S. M., Rahim, R., Alo, D., Mamun, A. A., Kaiser, A. M., Mohammad, T., & Sultana, F. (2022). Experiential learning in clinical education guided by the Kolb’s experiential learning theory. Int J Hum Health Sci (IJHHS), 6(2), 155.
11. Archer-Kuhn, B., Samson, P., Damianakis, T., Barrett, B., Matin, S., & Ahern, C. (2021). Transformative learning in field education: Students bridging the theory/practice gap. The British Journal of Social Work, 51(7), 2419-2438.
12. Močinić, S., & Tatković, S. (2021). Using Kolb's Learning Model in Structured Types of Professional Education and Training for Teachers. Journal of Elementary Education, 14(4), 409-433.
13. Doherty, R. E. (2023). Kolb Learning Styles and the best Teaching Methods for Lifelong Learners. A study of professionals undertaking tertiary education (Doctoral dissertation, University of Leicester).
14. Bartels, K. P. (2023). Experiential learning: a relational approach to sustaining community-led social innovation. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 36(3), 434-452.
15. Mash, B., Ray, S., Essuman, A., & Burgueño, E. (2019). Community-orientated primary care: A scoping review of different models, and their effectiveness and feasibility in sub-Saharan Africa. BMJ Global Health, 4(Suppl 8), e001489. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001489
16. Vandenbroucke, J. P., Von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Gotzsche, P. C., Mulrow, C. D., Pocock, S. J., ... & Egger, M. (2022). STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): explanation and elaboration. Current Pediatrics, 21(3), 173-208.
17. Naeem, M., Ozuem, W., Howell, K., & Ranfagni, S. (2023). A step-by-step process of thematic analysis to develop a conceptual model in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22, 16094069231205789.
18. Meydan, C. H., & Akkaş, H. (2024). The role of triangulation in qualitative research: Converging perspectives. In Principles of Conducting Qualitative Research in Multicultural Settings (pp. 98-129). IGI Global.
19. Aukes LC, Geertsma J, Cohen-Schotanus J, Zwierstra RP, Slaets JP. The effect of enhanced experiential learning on the personal reflection of undergraduate medical students. Med Educ Online. 2008 Nov 24;13:15. doi: 10.3885/meo.2008.Res00279. PMID: 20165543; PMCID: PMC2779594.
20. Adsul, P., Shelton, R. C., Oh, A., Moise, N., Iwelunmor, J., & Griffith, D. M. (2024). Challenges and opportunities for paving the road to global health equity through implementation science. Annual Review of Public Health, 45, 27-45. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-060922-034822
21. Arias López, M. D. P., Ong, B. A., Borrat Frigola, X., Fernández, A. L., Hicklent, R. S., Obeles, A. J., ... & Celi, L. A. (2023). Digital literacy as a new determinant of health: A scoping review. PLOS Digital Health, 2(10), e0000279.
22. Al-Mahmadhi, A. S. H., Al-Zabadani, R. A. H., Al Shareya, D. A. A., Al Shariah, K. A. O., Al Shariah, S. A. A., Al-Shariah, H. A. A., ... & Al Murdif, S. N. H. (2024). Comprehensive Review of Healthcare Workforce Development: Bridging Education, Technology, and Practice. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(8), 6581-6592.
23. Bingham, A., O’Sullivan, B., Couch, D., Cresser, S., McGrail, M., & Major, L. (2021). How rural immersion training influences rural work orientation of medical students: theory building through realist evaluation. Medical Teacher, 43(12), 1398-1405.
24. Evaluation of the WHO community engagement research initiative. Manila: World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific; 2023. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
25. Asamoah-Atakorah, S., Brobbey, S. S., Amaniampong, O. A., Maximous, D., Doodo, S. W., & Benneh Mensah, G. (2024). The Role of Clinical Supervision in Practical Skill Acquisition of Health Trainees in Ghana. Journal of Health Medicine and Nursing, 114(10.7176), 114-03.
26. Raza, A., & Hussain, N. (2022). Problems and challenges of future medical education: current state and development prospects. Futurity Education, 2(3), 31-43.
27. Toh, C., & Grover, A. (2025). “I Wish I Could Do More”: Institutional and Systemic Barriers to Effective Community-Engaged Learning for Equity and Inclusion in STEM Disciplines.
28. Talib, Z. M., Baingana, R. K., Sagay, A. S., Van Schalkwyk, S. C., Mehtsun, S., & Kiguli-Malwadde, E. (2013). Investing in community-based education to improve the quality, quantity, and retention of physicians in three African countries. Education for Health, 26(2), 109-114.
29. Buchanan, K., Velandia, M., Weckend, M., & Bayes, S. (2021). Learning objectives of cultural immersion programs: A scoping review. Nurse Education Today, 100, 104832.
30. King, N. S., & Upadhyay, B. (2022). Negotiating mentoring relationships and support for Black and Brown early‐career faculty. Science Education, 106(5), 1149-1171.
31. Di Pietro, G. (2022). International internships and skill development: A systematic review. Review of Education, 10(2), e3363.
32. Varela, O. E. (2017). Learning outcomes of study-abroad programs: A meta-analysis. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 16(4), 531-561.
33. Chastonay, P., Zesiger, V., Klohn, A., Soguel, L., Mpinga, E. K., Vu, N., & Bernheim, L. (2013). Development and evaluation of a community immersion program during preclinical medical studies: A 15-year experience at the University of Geneva Medical School. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 4, 69-76. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S41090.