Community engagement: A central feature of NOSM’s socially accountable distributed medical education

Authors

  • Roger Strasser Northern Ontario School of Medicine http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7804-4319
  • John Hogenbirk Centre for Rural and Northern Health, Laurentian University
  • Kristen Jacklin Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Marion Maar Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Geoff Hudson Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Wayne Warry Centre for Rural and Northern Health, Laurentian University
  • Hoi Cheu English Department, Laurentian University
  • Tim Dubé McGill University
  • Dean Carson Charles Darwin University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.42151

Keywords:

Community Engagement, Social Accountability, Distributed Medical Education

Abstract

Background: Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) serves as the Faculty of Medicine of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities, and views the entire geography of Northern Ontario as its campus. This paper explores how community engagement contributes to achieving social accountability in over 90 sites through NOSM’s distinctive model, Distributed Community Engaged Learning (DCEL).

Methods: Studies involving qualitative and quantitative methods contribute to this paper, which draws on administrative data from NOSM and external sources, as well as surveys and interviews of students, graduates and other informants including the joint NOSM-CRaNHR (Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research) tracking and impact studies.

Results: Community engagement contributes throughout the lifecycle stages of preadmission, admission, and undergraduate medical education. High school students from 70 Northern Ontario communities participate in NOSM’s week-long Health Sciences Summer Camps. The MD admissions process involves approximately 128 volunteers assessing written applications and over 100 volunteer interviewers. Thirty-six Indigenous communities host first year students and third-year students learn their core clinical medicine in 15 communities, throughout Northern Ontario. In general, learners and communities report net benefits from participation in NOSM programs.

Conclusion: Community engagement makes a key contribution to the success of NOSM’s socially accountable distributed medical education.

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Author Biography

Roger Strasser, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Dr Roger Strasser AM

 Professor of Rural Health

Dean and CEO

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Lakehead and Laurentian Universities

Canada

 

Dr Roger Strasser is a leader in the global reform of health professional education. Recognizing the importance of context and community in medical education and research, Dr Strasser has become one of the world’s foremost authorities on rural, socially accountable medical education, and a sought-after speaker and advisor.

Prior to moving to Northern Ontario in 2002, Roger Strasser was Professor of Rural Health and Head of the Monash University School of Rural Health in Australia and had an international role with the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) as Chair of the Working Party on Rural Practice from 1992-2004.  

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Published

2018-03-28

How to Cite

1.
Strasser R, Hogenbirk J, Jacklin K, Maar M, Hudson G, Warry W, Cheu H, Dubé T, Carson D. Community engagement: A central feature of NOSM’s socially accountable distributed medical education. Can. Med. Ed. J [Internet]. 2018 Mar. 28 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];9(1):e33-43. Available from: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cmej/article/view/42151

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