Centering community: using principles of community engagement to support veterinary service-learning programs with Indigenous communities in Canada.

Community-centered veterinary service-learning improves animal health outcomes and student cultural competency.

This article examines two veterinary service-learning programs at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: the Northern Community Health Rotation and the Equine Service-Learning Initiative. These programs are designed to address healthcare access gaps in Indigenous communities while providing culturally responsive education to veterinary students. The authors emphasize the importance of centering Indigenous partner communities through sustained, reciprocal engagement rather than extractive service models. The programs incorporate community engagement principles to ensure meaningful partnerships and respect for Indigenous knowledge and values. Program evaluations demonstrated measurable improvements in animal health outcomes within participating communities and documented transformative learning experiences for students, with particular emphasis on cultural responsiveness and ethical practice. The study highlights how veterinary education can simultaneously serve community needs while providing students with meaningful clinical experience and professional development in culturally sensitive veterinary practice.

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