The DISCuSS model: Creating connections between community and curriculum – A new lens for curricular development in support of social accountability

Abstract

Medicine’s social mandate recognizes the importance of introducing changes to systems and practices to meet the healthcare needs of marginalized populations. Social accountability efforts encompass a wide array of actions, including equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and adapting knowledge relevant to practice across education, research, and clinical domains. To influence change in education, ongoing structures and processes are needed to ensure adequacy, relevance, and effectiveness of curricular coverage. In support of this, we created an innovative and creative approach to developing curricular modules to prepare medical students to provide care that is responsive to the cultural, economic, and psychosocial realities of diverse patient populations. The DISCuSS model (Diversity, Identify, Search, Create module (with community engagement), Sustainability, Social accountability) provides a community-engaged, iterative approach to curriculum development relevant to social accountability. Over the past 5 years, we have created nine curricular modules focused on health-related inequities and social concerns, including modules on Indigenous and refugee health, sexual and gender minority health, human trafficking, and addiction. AFMC Graduation Questionnaire results have shown a statistically significant increase in our students ‘preparedness to provide care to diverse populations.’ The DISCuSS model, which continues to evolve, can be adapted and used in other settings.