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.

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 Spotlight

Principles of Community Engagement

A comprehensive guide, created by over 165 practitioners across the US, describes ten principles of developing strong community engagement relations. 

Domain descriptions

Socially Accountable Leadership: administrators of health profession schools setting policies, practices, and programming demonstrative of equity and justice principles, and responsive to community priorities.

Equitable Expansion of the Health Workforce: demonstrating strategies to improve geographic distribution of trainees/providers, sociocultural diversity of trainees/providers, and volume and distribution of primary care workforce.

Supportive School Ecosystems: inclusive practices that foster flourishing of all staff, faculty, and learners.

Transformative Curriculum & Programming: curriculum and training practices focused on producing a robust, well-trained, service-oriented workforce.

Commitment to Community: community-responsive, community-inclusive, and community-driven practices.

  • Resource Type

  • Social Mission Domain

  • Social Mission Topic

  • Health Profession

Real World Examples
  Open Access  

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Commitment to Community, Equitable Expansion of the Health Workforce, Supportive School Ecosystems, Transformative Curriculum & Programming
  • Health Profession: Medicine
Prioritizing local, rural health.
Real World Examples
  Open Access  

East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Commitment to Community, Equitable Expansion of the Health Workforce, Transformative Curriculum & Programming
  • Health Profession: Dentistry
In 2022, ECU received the Macy Award for Institutional Excellence for its community service learning model, promotion of primary and rural care, and efforts to recruit diverse students.
Real World Examples
  Open Access  
2024

University of California Davis (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Commitment to Community, Equitable Expansion of the Health Workforce, Supportive School Ecosystems, Transformative Curriculum & Programming
  • 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  

Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Equitable Expansion of the Health Workforce
  • Health Profession: Medicine
Students at OSU can choose to pursue an underserved or rural medical track for their education. The school also has the only medical school on a Native American Reservation.
Real World Examples
  Open Access  

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Commitment to Community
  • Health Profession: Medicine
CDU educates medical students through a joint program with UCLA and now a standalone four-year MD program.
Real World Examples
  Open Access  
2024

Texas A&M College of Dentistry (Case Study)

  • Social Mission Domains: Equitable Expansion of the Health Workforce
  • Health Profession: Dentistry
Texas A&M College of Dentistry’s Bridge to Dentistry program demonstrates a transformative approach to increasing diversity in dental education.

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.