Date of Award

1997

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Leadership Studies

Abstract

This report began with a request from the Health Professional Schools in Service to the Nation Program (HPSISN) of the Pew Health Professions Commission. The Pew Health Professions Commission. established in the spring of 1989 and administered by the University of California at San Francisco, Center for the Health Professions is charged with assisting workforce policy makers and educational institutions respond to the challenges of the changing health care system. HPSISN began with funding from Learn and Serve America--Higher Education of the Corporation for National and Public Service to introduce, integrate, and disseminate service learning in the curriculum of health profession schools. This report-will develop curriculum resources for leadership education and development within service learning programs in health professional schools. This report began with a request from the Health Professional Schools in Service to the Nation Program (HPSISN) of the Pew Health Professions Commission. The Pew Health Professions Commission. established in the spring of 1989 and administered by the University of California at San Francisco, Center for the Health Professions. is charged with assisting workforce policy makers and educational institutions respond to the challenges of the changing health care system. HPSISN began with funding from Learn and Serve America--Higher Education of the Corporation for National and Public Service to introduce, integrate, and disseminate service learning in the curriculum of health profession schools. This report-will develop curriculum resources for leadership education and development within service learning programs in health professional schools.

In this paper, issues have been examined that are re1ated to the need for change in the health profession. As a field that is so dynamic yet has a large effect on the well-being of our society, the need for some new approaches to educating health professionals is a must. Studies have indicated the need for professionals to understand and support their surrounding communities better. Experiential education, specifically service learning, is a tool that universities that foster the development of individuals that will be more in touch with the issues that the health field faces. The idea of collaboration, effective communication, and teamwork are all issues that effective leaders use when enforcing change. Change is exactly what this discipline could use. The traditional way to care for people is a dinosaur. The profession when facing the turn of the century will need individuals who are diverse in thinking, reflecting. and understanding the need to serve. Service is a key to this profession but the way service is approached must be analyzed. I have presented a fonn of teaching that any curriculum could include to foster the development of "service over self'. Service learning, which relates the classroom to the surrounding community, will develop the type of leaders that the health field will need to face the change for the 21st Century. To restate what was said at the beginning of this paper,

"Enlightened leadership is service, not selfishness. The leader grows more and lasts longer by placing the well-being of all above the well-being of self alone" - Lao-Tzu

This enlightened leadership will help the health field become more efficient and more proactive rather than reactive. This enlightened leadership can change the curing into caring and the individuality into teamwork. This enlightened leadership will make the difference for tomorrow.

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