Assessing the Role of Community-Based Medical Education in Strengthening Healthcare Systems

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56294/mw2024488

Keywords:

Community-Based Medical Education, Healthcare Systems, Medical Curriculum, Underserved Communities, Healthcare Disparities, Rural Healthcare

Abstract

Connecting medical education directly to local healthcare needs has made community-based medical education (CBME) a revolutionary approach to strengthen healthcare systems.  Part of the strategy involves involving medical students in delivering healthcare in underdeveloped rural communities, therefore fostering hands-on learning.  With an eye towards how it can help close healthcare gaps and simplify access to treatment, this research looks at how CBME impacts students and healthcare systems.  Students that participate in CBME have a unique opportunity to collaborate with a variety of patients, therefore enhancing their overall preparation for practice, clinical skills, and cultural competency.  It also encourages students to participate in public health issues, therefore fostering social responsibility and improved understanding of community health operations.  For the individuals CBME treats as well as the students, adding it to the medical curriculum proved to be successful.  CBME closes the access gap to healthcare by providing healthcare services in areas not well served, therefore strengthening healthcare systems generally.  Medical students that participate in neighbourhood health programs provide fresh ideas and points of view that might assist to address particular health issues in specific local communities.  This strategy has also been shown to assist rural and remote region healthcare professionals stay in place. This is so because graduates of community-based training programs are more likely to find employment in analogous environments.

References

Majewska, I.A. Teaching Global Competence: Challenges and Opportunities. Coll. Teach. 2022, 71, 112–124. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2022.2027858

Yacoby, Y.; Girash, J.; Parkes, D.C. Empowering First-Year Computer Science Ph.D. Students to Create a Culture that Values Community and Mental Health. In Proceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, Toronto, ON, Canada, 15–18 March 2023; pp. 694–700. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3545945.3569751

Patrick, L.E.; Duggan, J.M.; Dizney, L. Integrating evidence-based teaching practices into the Mammalogy classroom. J. Mammal. 2023, 104, 685–695. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad011

Karunathilake, I.; Kristina, T.N. Curriculum Design of Community-Based Education, Toward Social Accountability of Health Profession Education. In Challenges and Opportunities in Health Professions Education: Perspectives in the Context of Cultural Diversity; Springer Nature: Singapore, 2022; pp. 87–109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7232-3_5

Gizaw, Z.; Astale, T.; Kassie, G.M. What improves access to primary healthcare services in rural communities? A systematic review. BMC Prim. Care 2022, 23, 313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01919-0

Casola, A.R.; Cunningham, A.; Crittendon, D.; Kelly, S.; Sifri, R.; Arenson, C. Implementing and Evaluating a Fellowship for Community-Based Physicians and Physician Assistants: Leadership, Practice Transformation, and Precepting. J. Contin. Educ. Health Prof. 2022, 42, 144–147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/CEH.0000000000000427

van Zyl, S.; Kruger, W.H.; Walsh, C.M. Chronic diseases of lifestyle curriculum: Students’ perceptions in primary health care settings. Afr. J. Prim. Health Care Fam. Med. 2023, 15, 3775. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.3775

Wang, S.; Yan, D.; Hu, X.; Liu, J.; Liu, D.; Wang, J. Comparison of attitudes toward the medical student-led community health education service to support chronic disease self-management among students, faculty and patients. BMC Med. Educ. 2023, 23, 1–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04008-7

Reath, J.; Lau, P.; Lo, W.; Trankle, S.; Brooks, M.; Shahab, Y.; Abbott, P. Strengthening learning and research in health equity–opportunities for university departments of primary health care and general practice. Aust. J. Prim. Health 2022, 29, 131–136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/PY22146

Leblanc, P.; Occelli, P.; Etienne, J.; Rode, G.; Colin, C. Assessing the implementation of community-based learning in public health: A mixed methods approach. BMC Med. Educ. 2022, 22, 40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-03098-5

Nagel, D.A.; Naccarato, T.T.; Philip, M.T.; Ploszay, V.K.; Winkler, J.; Sanchez-Ramirez, D.C.; Penner, J.L. Understanding Student-Run Health Initiatives in the Context of Community-Based Services: A Concept Analysis and Proposed Definitions. J. Prim. Care Community Health 2022, 13, 21501319221126293. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319221126293

Bansal, A.; Greenley, S.; Mitchell, C.; Park, S.; Shearn, K.; Reeve, J. Optimising planned medical education strategies to develop learners’ person-centredness: A realist review. Med. Educ. 2021, 56, 489–503. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.14707

Reis, T.; Faria, I.; Serra, H.; Xavier, M. Barriers and facilitators to implementing a continuing medical education intervention in a primary health care setting. BMC Health Serv. Res. 2022, 22, 638. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08019-w

Sowl, S.; Smith, R.A.; Brown, M.G. Rural College Graduates: Who Comes Home? Rural. Sociol. 2021, 87, 303–329. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12416

Seaman, C.E.; Green, E.; Freire, K. Effect of Rural Clinical Placements on Intention to Practice and Employment in Rural Australia: A Systematic Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 5363. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095363

Button, B.L.G.; Cheu, H.; Stroink, M.; Cameron, E. Exploring rural medical education: A study of Canadian key informants. Rural. Remote Health 2022, 22, 7061. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH7061

Lyhne, C.N.; Bjerrum, M.; Jørgensen, M.J. Person-centred care to prevent hospitalisations—A focus group study addressing the views of healthcare providers. BMC Health Serv. Res. 2022, 22, 801. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08198-6

Downloads

Published

2024-12-31

How to Cite

1.
Sirisha M, Das S, Saini R, Prakash Chandra P, S R, Agarwal V, et al. Assessing the Role of Community-Based Medical Education in Strengthening Healthcare Systems. Seminars in Medical Writing and Education [Internet]. 2024 Dec. 31 [cited 2026 Jan. 10];3:488. Available from: https://mw.ageditor.ar/index.php/mw/article/view/488