Social Mission Resource Library

Find peer reviewed articles, implementation tools, and real world examples of social mission in practice at institutions and programs across the United States. The Social Mission Resource Library continues to grow, so check back often! If you have suggestions for resources to add, please submit them here.

Resource Spotlight

A Collaborative Approach to Address Racism in a Community-Academic Partnership

Domain: Community Engagement

Profession: Interdisciplinary

This article describes a collaborative process that academic research centers and community partners may adopt to address institutional racism and embed anti-racism, equity, and justice into their operations and structures.

You can search for Social Mission resources based on Domain, Topic, or both. Social Mission Domains reflect core operations and functions of health professions education institutions and programs that can be targeted for action to advance equity. These are also the domains used for the Social Mission Metrics Self Assessment. 

Use this search filter if you are interested in resources describing actions, interventions, and inputs. The Social Mission Resource Library Domains are:  

Pathways, Admission, & Graduation: This Domain includes alternative metrics/holistic admissions, pathway programs, recruitment strategies, and financial support.

Curriculum & Programming: This Domain includes incorporation of health equity principles, interprofessional education, community-based learning, curriculum review, and competencies. 

Community Engagement: This Domain includes community health needs assessments, community partnerships, and community representation in health professions education.

Students and Faculty: This Domain includes advocacy training for students and faculty, faculty promotion, faculty research, and faculty & leadership demographics.

Governance & Accountability: This Domain includes efforts to measure, assess, or evaluate institutional performance related to social mission, leadership demographics, and strategic planning.

You can search for Social Mission resources based on Domain, Topic, or both. Social Mission Topics can be thought of as goals or outcome areas. Use this filter to see resources displayed based on outcome(s) of interest. Social Mission Topics are: 

Diversity, inclusion & belonging: Diversity and representation of underrepresented groups among learners, faculty, and leadership across; The perceptions, attitudes, and expectations that define an institution, particularly as seen from the perspectives of individuals who are underrepresented based on race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, mental and physical ability, or other dimensions of diversity; Policies and governance structures that institutionalize social mission. 

Practice in underserved areas or settings: Learners and providers servicing rural or underserved communities/facilities.

Specialty choice: Learners and providers practicing in high need specialty areas, especially primary care.

Health equity champions: Learners, practitioners, faculty, and administrators having the knowledge, competencies, attitudes, skills, and/or intent to address health inequities.  

Community partnerships: Programs and policies that address community inequities via external partnerships and practices.

Patient & community health: Effects of health professions education on health outcomes at the patient, community, or population level.

  • Resource Type

  • Social Mission Domain

  • Social Mission Topic

  • Health Profession

Real World Examples
  Open Access  
2024

University of California Davis (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Community Engagement, Curriculum & Programming, Pathways & Graduation, Students & Faculty
  • Health Profession: Medicine
UC Davis’s medical school became the third most diverse in the country by establishing programs for students who wanted to work in underserved communities, such as the Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care program, prioritizing socioeconomically disadvantaged students in admissions and providing them with scholarships, developing pathways for community college students and pairing incoming students with like-minded peers and faculty.
Real World Examples
  Open Access  
2024

Texas A&M College of Dentistry (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Pathways & Graduation
  • Health Profession: Dentistry
Texas A&M College of Dentistry’s Bridge to Dentistry program demonstrates a transformative approach to increasing diversity in dental education.
Implementation Guidance & Tools
  Open Access  
2024

Advocacy Toolkit for Physicians in Training

Weaver J, Fluker CJ
  • Social Mission Domains: Students & Faculty
  • Health Profession: Medicine
A toolkit for medical students to advocate for policy and practice.

Suggestions

Let us know of your suggested social mission resources that you think should be included in our resource library.

Champion Spotlight

The Social Mission Alliance features Social Mission Champions on our social media accounts and blog. The series highlights the important work done by those who are advancing health equity and addressing the health disparities of the society in which it exists. If you’d like to be considered for a Social Mission Champion feature, complete the form below.