Evaluating distributed medical education: what are the community's expectations?
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to explore community members' perceptions of present and future impacts of the implementation of an undergraduate medical education programme in an underserved community.


METHODS
We conducted semi-structured interviews with eight key informants representing the health, education, business, economy, media and political sectors. A two-stage approach was used. In the first stage, the interviews were analysed to identify sector-specific impacts informants perceived as already occurring or which they hoped to see in the future. The transcripts were then re-analysed to determine any underlying themes that crossed sectors.


RESULTS
Community leaders described impacts that were already occurring in all sectors and also described changes in the community itself. Four underlying themes emerged: an increase in pride and status; partnership development; community self-efficacy, and community development. These underlying themes appear to characterise the development of social capital in the community.


CONCLUSIONS
The implementation of distributed undergraduate medical education programmes in rural and underserved communities may impact their host communities in ways other than the production of a rural doctor workforce. Further studies to quantify impacts in diverse sectors and to explore possible links with social capital are needed.
Lovato
Chris
C
Department of Epidemiology and Health, Faculty of Medicine, Evaluation Studies Unit, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Bates
Joanna
J
Hanlon
Neil
N
Snadden
David
D
D001955:British Columbia; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*