Curriculum Design of Community-Based Education, Toward Social Accountability of Health Profession Education

Abstract

The traditional model of medical education and health professions education is centered on tertiary care hospital settings. However, with the changing healthcare scenario with more emphasis on primary healthcare, entirely tertiary care hospital-based training may not equip the future healthcare providers and physicians for optimum management of community health challenges. Literature suggests that health professions institutions should serve the closest community where the learning takes place. It supports the principles of social accountability of health professions schools. In a context that is hierarchical and collectivist, which is usually represented by developing countries, high-quality primary care services are vitally needed. The ultimate goal was promoted by the WHO Alma Ata declaration and continued with the Astana declaration with ‘health for all’ with concepts of equity, high quality of health care workforce, appropriate technology, and multi-sector collaboration. This chapter will discuss theories and examples of implementation of community-based educational approaches in health professionals’ education with the cross-cultural applications of Community Based Education as the conceptual framework.