Integrating social accountability into continuing education and professional development at medical schools: the case of an institutional collaborative project in Canada

Social accountability is playing an increasingly significant role in medical education across Canada. This paper presents findings from a mixed methods evaluation of a collaboration project - Issues of Quality and Continuing Professional Development: Maintenance of Competence (CPDiQ) - undertaken by all 17 Canadian medical schools to promote social accountability in continuing professional development/continuing medical education programs. Data were gathered at three stages during the project to explore project participants' views and experiences of collaboration. Findings indicated there were four main benefits of this national collaboration: promoting a focus on social accountability; maximizing resources; enabling local learning; and developing a trusting foundation. Two key difficulties were identified: uncertainties about goals of collaboration; and communication challenges. CPDiQ was one important step amongst the many sustained, multifaceted initiatives required, to advance social accountability as a key goal of medical schools. The leadership within CPDiQ and provided by a national medical organization was instrumental in this initiative.