Patient health literacy is paramount for optimal outcomes. The Service Learning Project (SLP) aims to merge the need for patient education with the desire of medical students for early clinical experience.

This pretest-posttest study examined the effect of the SLP on medical students. First-year students spent 8 h each month educating inpatients and screening for social determinants of health (SDH). Students completed a 30-question survey pre- and post-SLP, and longitudinally throughout medical school. We used t-tests to assess changes in attitudes towards surgery, clinical confidence, and SDH screening.

Student self-perceived value on surgical teams increased significantly (2.49 vs 3.63 post-SLP, p < 0.001), as did their confidence interacting with patients (3.66–4.14, p = 0.002) and confidence assessing for SDH (3.13–4.75, p = 0.002). 100% of students continued to assess for SDH on clerkships.

The SLP model improves medical students’ skills and confidence working with patients and addressing SDH.

The Service Learning Project (SLP) is a mutually beneficial model in which students gain early clinical experience through providing patients education and conducting social determinants of health (SDH) screens. Results from the student arm of the study demonstrated significant increases in students’ confidence on the wards as well as increase in knowledge and practice of SDH screening that was retained throughout their medical school years. The SLP is effective in improving medical students’ skills and confidence working with patients and addressing SDH that causes persistent behavioral change.