Advancing Social Accountability in a State University Offering a Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program in the Philippines
Keywords:
social accountability, medical scholarship, return service program, philippines, health worker shortages, primary health care, ISATAbstract
Introduction: In December 2020, Republic Act 11509 established a medical scholarship and return service program in the Philippines to address health worker shortages. Batangas State University (BatStateU) initiated a medical program in 2021, focusing on primary health care (PHC) and universal health care (UHC), demonstrating social accountability. Mandated to produce medical graduates for underserved areas, the BatStateU College of Medicine conducted a self-assessment to gauge its progress and plan actions towards greater social accountability.
Methodology: In February 2025, the college began its self-assessment using the Towards Unity for Health Institutional Self-Assessment Social Accountability Tool (ISAT). Faculty, students, and representatives from government agencies, local government units, and partner institutions joined meetings and discussions to complete the assessment and develop an action plan.
Findings: The participants included seven students, five faculty members, and representatives from the Department of Health, a regional referral hospital, the city health office, a partner rural health unit, and a local school. The college was rated Phase 1 in half of the ISAT components and Phase 2 in the rest.
Discussion: Student selection for admission to the medical school is mainly based on academic performance. Most faculty are hospital-based. The curriculum covers individual and public health competencies but lacks community-based research projects. Social accountability is an integral part of the college’s vision and mission, although awareness among faculty and students is relatively low. Societal impact can only be assessed once graduates join the health workforce.
Recommendation: The college should incorporate social accountability into the mission, expand community engagement, set research and extension agendas, and enhance exposure to community and patient care through curriculum review and interprofessional collaboration.
Conclusion: The ISAT process enabled reflection and alignment of BatStateU’s practices with its mandate to produce PHC- and UHC-ready doctors for the Philippines.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Pholyn Balahadia-Mortel, Dolores Viliran (Author)
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