Community-engaged learning (CEL) takes learners beyond academia. It engages them in an opportunity to see academic topics from a real-world perspective. Dr. Michelle Arnot held her first CEL course, Pharmacology and Toxicology in Society, in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology Undergraduate Program in 2008, called Pharmacology and Toxicology in Society. It was one of 18 such courses, where there are now 53 across the University of Toronto.
“Doing this helps you learn the things you learn in lecture better because you’re actually applying them, as opposed to learning things in lecture for an exam and then forgetting about it,” says Sami Ul Haq, a graduate of Dr. Arnot’s class. He worked at Davenport Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre for his community placement.
“A key tenant of community-engaged learning is personal growth,” says Dr. Arnot. “Students go through a broadening of compassion, if you will. They gain a different perspective.”
“I was really excited,” says Isabelle Laksono who also took Dr. Arnot’s class, and who is now a third-year medical student at UofT. “It gave me a better understanding of the importance of healthcare access… Now every time I’m interacting with patients I use that learning to have an open mindset and advocate for considering different socioeconomic factors in all of my interactions with patients.”
