Advancing our social accountability: A transformative tool on the global stage
NOSM helped develop and pilot a new international certification tool developed by Toward Unity for Health (TUFH) to advance socially accountable undergraduate medical education.
NOSM is one of only 10 socially accountable medical schools worldwide to be identified as a global leader in the application of social accountability principles to education and research, with the aim of increasing health equity and improve health service delivery in ways that are relevant to population health needs.
The new tool, called Institutional Self-Assessment Social Accountability Tool (ISAT), was developed by a team of internationally renowned social accountability leaders, educators and experts including Dr. Sarita Verma, NOSM Dean, President and CEO, in the spring and summer of 2021.
TUFH is an international organisation and a partnership between the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), World Health Organisation (PAHO-WHO), Beyond Flexner Alliance, THEnet, Global Consensus for Social Accountability, to promote and advance equitable community-oriented health services, education and research to improve health locally and globally.
Leading NOSM’s submission was Dr. David Marsh and Dr. Erin Cameron with support from Dr. Sophia Myles and Chandelle Mensour, third-year NOSM medical student. They worked with a NOSM Steering Committee and the School piloted the tool.
The world is now watching as NOSM helps drive the global movement to respond to the priority health needs of people, societies and communities.
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is a proud recipient of the 2019 Charles Boelen International Social Accountability Award, presented by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada. In 2013, NOSM received the prestigious ASPIRE award, which recognizes international excellence in social accountability and medical education.