Assessment of the social accountability of the faculty of medicine at University of Gezira, Sudan

Abstract

A socially accountable medical school is one that directs its education, research and service activities towards addressing the priority health concerns of the community it serves and verifying its impact on the community. This study aimed to assess the social accountability of the University of Gezira faculty of medicine in Sudan. We reviewed the literature, faculty documents and reports and used both the World Health Organization social accountability grid and the conceptualization-production-usability model as frameworks for analysis. In most of the domains and phases of the social accountability grid, the faculty's educational programme was found to be well-planned and well-implemented, demonstrating an impact on the community and active participation in health-system development in the local area. The University of Gezira faculty of medicine is socially responsible and responsive and is on the way to becoming fully socially accountable in certain aspects.

The impact of socially-accountable health professional education: A systematic review of the literature

“…A number of SAHPE medical schools have successfully implemented preferential selection processes to admit and support (including financially) students from local rural communities and underserved population groups into medical and health professional schools whom otherwise would not have had the opportunity to train as a health professional (Iputo 2008;Reid et al 2011;Elsanousi et al 2016). For example, Walter Sisulu University in South Africa introduced more equitable student selection involving a quota to increase the number of students from minority ethnic groups, which dramatically increased the number of black African doctors and students, and decreased the attrition rate for black students from 23% to fewer than <10% (Iputo 2008).…”

“…Also valuable are: explicit faculty mission statements around a social accountability mandate; the recruitment of staff committed to this vision; partnerships with local communities and other organizations; and, being located in under-served areas with the adequate resource commitment to ensure sustainability (Chang et al 2011). In some cases, these partnerships led to the expansion of health services into underserved communities and increased access to appropriate health care (Elsanousi et al 2016).…”

Analyzing the social aspects of the integrated program of field training, research, and rural development course, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Sudan

“…This may explain in part why FMUG is one of the leading medical school in the field of social accountability of medical school. [7]…”

“…Furthermore, the training of physician in research according to the need of the community made FMUG, one of the pioneers and leader in the field of social accountability and founder of THEnet (Training for Health Equity Network organization) (https://thenetcommunity.org/). [7] THEnet is an international organization that promotes social accountability across different universities around the world and increases collaboration between its members.…”

“…[3456] Social sciences in FMUG are also taught during the learning of students in community-related courses which spread across the 5-year curriculum. [7]…”