Evaluation of the integration of social accountability values into medical education using a problem-based learning curriculum

Instilling social accountability into the health professions education curriculum with international case studies: AMEE Guide No. 175

This AMEE guide focuses on instilling social accountability (SA) concept and values into health professions education (HPE) curricula with the goal of producing competent, compassionate healthcare professionals who can act as change agents within the healthcare system. By incorporating SA, HPE schools will instil in their students a strong sense of accountability for addressing the health needs of the communities they serve. This AMEE guide presents a comprehensive framework for embedding SA into the HPE curriculum, covering various aspects in curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation. It also includes case studies of exemplary socially accountable curricula, highlighting the experiences of schools aspiring for SA. Acknowledging how curriculum is embedded in a larger institutional structure, and that SA requires institutional commitment in its governance structure and policies is also a critical component for consideration.

Adoption of a Comprehensive Approach to Overcome the Challenges Involved in the Implementation of Social Accountability in Medical Education: A Brief Review

In the field of delivery of medical education, social accountability envisages the responsibility of medical and healthcare institutions to meet the health-related needs of the communities in the catchment areas. The medical colleges that have integrated social accountability in their curriculum work with a goal to produce not only knowledgeable and skilled medical graduates but also those who are committed to the well-being of the entire community. The process of implementation of social accountability in medical education can have its own share of challenges. There is an immense need to plan and implement potential solutions for each of the identified challenges to ensure maximum benefit to the students, teachers, and community at large. In conclusion, social accountability in medical education has been associated with multiple benefits to all the involved stakeholders. This calls for the need to identify the challenges that can play their part in the successful implementation in medical schools and employment of appropriate measures to overcome them and move thereby bringing about a decline in health disparity.

Social accountability challenges and recommendations by community service rehabilitation therapists

BACKGROUND

 Social accountability entails providing equitable and accessible services that are tailor-made for the community's healthcare needs and enable rehabilitation therapists to improve the efficiency and efficacy of healthcare delivery and their response. Enabling them to provide optimal care during their community service year requires understanding the gaps in their knowledge, experience and the support they provide to the communities they service.

METHODS

 Four in-depth individual interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted via Zoom. The qualitative responses to the questions related to the challenges and recommendations associated with social accountability in clinical settings were analysed using an inductive thematic approach via NVIVO.

RESULTS

 Four sub-themes emerged for each of the two areas of interest: the challenges relating to (1) budget and equipment constraints, (2) staff shortages, (3) cultural and language barriers and (4) scope of practice limitations. The recommendations related to (5) collaboration with community caregivers, (6) service inclusion in primary health care clinics, (7) improved executive management support and (8) continuing professional development.

CONCLUSION

 Equipping graduates with the knowledge, skills and support needed to work in an under-resourced setting is essential for community service rehabilitation therapists to ensure social accountability, given that they often work alone, specifically in rural settings.Contribution: Being aware of the challenges that face community service rehabilitation therapists, having the necessary tools and health facility management support will enable ongoing improvements in their ability to provide socially accountable services.

Validation of IFMSA social accountability assessment tool: exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis

BACKGROUND

IFMSA Social Accountability Assessment Tool has been developed for medical students by medical students to assess medical schools. However, its psychometric characteristics are unknown since it was developed without any analysis. We aimed to reveal its reliability and validity.

METHODS

1122 undergraduate medical students from various years in Gazi University Faculty of Medicine have participated in the study. They have answered the Turkish version of IFMSA Social Accountability Assessment Tool created through a translation process by experts. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis showed that factor loadings were between 0.46 and 0.73 for Factor 1, 0.68 and 0.87 for Factor 2. The two-factor model, which consists of "Community Centeredness" and "Socio-Demographic Characteristics", was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis. The goodness-of-fit statistics of the model showed well-fit: CMIN/df 4.46, GFI 0.96, CFI 0.95, RMSEA 0.05, SRMR 0.03. Standardized regression weights were between 0.43 and 0.77.

CONCLUSION

The tool has acceptable psychometric characteristics, with good reliability and validity. It could be considered as a point of departure for the change in the way of being socially accountable since it enables medical students to explore the weak areas of their medical schools in terms of social accountability.

Application of 3D printing technology combined with PBL teaching method in clinical teaching of cerebrovascular disease: An observational study

Traditional clinical teaching does not allow medical students to combine theoretical knowledge with practical knowledge. As such, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of three dimensional (3D) printing technology combined with problem-based learning (PBL) in the clinical teaching of cerebrovascular diseases. Medical interns were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 136) that was taught using 3D printing technology + PBL method and a control group (n = 133) that was taught using traditional methods. We compared assessment results of theoretical and clinical practice skills and the subjective evaluation of teaching methods between the 2 groups. The assessment results of the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < .05). The survey assessing the evaluation of teaching methods showed higher satisfaction with teaching methods, increased learning interest, and improvement in the spatial thinking ability of interns in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < .05). There was no significant difference when assessing which teaching method better improved the interns' understanding of cerebrovascular diseases (P < .05). The application of 3D printing technology combined with the PBL teaching method in neurosurgery clinical teaching can stimulate interest in learning and significantly improve academic performance and problem-analysis and solving skills.