Community-based teaching about health disparities: combining education, scholarship, and community service.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that clinicians receive training to better understand and address disparities. While disparities in health status are primarily due to inequities in social determinants of health, current curricula largely focus on how to teach about disparities within the health care setting. Learners may more fully understand and appreciate how social contextual factors contribute to disparities through instruction about disparities in community settings. Community-based teaching about health disparities may be advantageous for learners, medical institutions, and participating communities. This manuscript aims to guide medical educators in teaching students and residents about health disparities through community-based activities, including service learning and research.
Cené
Crystal W
CW
Division of General Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7110, USA. crystal_cene@med.unc.edu
Peek
Monica E
ME
Jacobs
Elizabeth
E
Horowitz
Carol R
CR
D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012946:Social Welfare; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*