Abstract Community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) is a collaborative approach that involves all stakeholders throughout the research process to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities among marginalized communities. This study aims to sensitize students to CBPAR and explore various methods within CBPAR. As part of a 2-week elective, medical undergraduates conducted transect walks, key informant interviews, photovoice research, and other participatory methods in an urban slum area. Students identified stray dogs and inadequate rabies knowledge as key community concerns and then developed and administered a validated questionnaire using Epicollect 5 for data collection. Following the analysis, they proposed targeted interventions and presented their findings to the faculty for assessment. Student feedback highlighted significant improvements in communication skills and community engagement, although some residents expressed skepticism about the research utility. This elective provided valuable experiential learning in CBPR methodologies, addressing a critical gap in current medical education curricula and better preparing future physicians for community-engaged practice.
Raja et al. (2026) studied this question.