Making Medical Education Socially Accountable in Australia and Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Social accountability (SA) measures are critical in medical education. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA-systematic review guidelines, across Australia and Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) countries to identify their purposes, practices, experiences, and recommendations. Four electronic databases were searched using search terms and key themes were identified through inductive analysis. Fifteen included studies identified five themes: (i) social obligation spectrum, (ii) learning environment, (iii) values of SA, (iv) graduate outcomes, and (v) partnerships. The cross-cutting themes were governance, education, service, and research. This review highlighted the role of SA in medical education and identified themes applicable for Australia and SEAR countries.