In an article for The Conversation, Harini P Aiyer (University of Saskatchewan) argues that medical schools must be socially accountable and responsive to the needs of their communities. Aiyer discusses the social justice element of social accountability, describing how this mandate must be fulfilled through authentic community engagement. Authentic community engagement requires the creation of intentional channels of feedback between the community and medical school, Aiyer explains. Creating a central database to track ongoing community partnerships and interactions can support this endeavor. “When schools become responsive to the needs of the communities they serve, they address the barriers to health encountered by different equity-deserving populations with unique health needs and bolster public trust,” concludes Aiyer.
