Promoting university-community -student partnerships : strategies, framework and future plans

![CDATA[There is increasing evidence on the positive outcomes of engaging students and community partners in medical education. Medical School-Community-Students partnerships are critical to medical schools’ commitment to social accountability. While literature has illustrated successful medical courses that engage community and student partners, less is known about the practical steps through which these engagements are established. Best practice frameworks to initiate, maintain and expand partnerships are also less discussed. This workshop will illustrate Western Sydney University School of Medicine’s top tips on establishing a robust and enduring partnership with students and community partners in medical education since 2005. The tips are based on experiences from four main stakeholders, namely academics, professional staff, students and community partners, as part of the School’s successful ‘Four of Fours’ Partnership Framework. While context is paramount for partnerships, the workshop tips to engage communities and students are formulated to be transferable to different medical education settings, countries, education systems, and the broader context of health professional education. Using a combination of interactive presentations and small group discussions, the workshop will provide opportunities for participants to selfassess and reflect on their partnership experiences; learn different practice tips to initiate, maintain and expand partnerships; and develop an action plan to promote Medical School-Community-Students partnerships at their respective institutions.]]