Suggested Responses

(copy/paste into the form)

Question #1: “The organizational framework of Standard 7 is logical.”

→ Select Disagree and comment:

The organizational framework of Standard 7 is not logical as currently proposed. As a [your general title or role], I am concerned that the framework omits several foundational competencies necessary for preparing students for contemporary medical practice. Across multiple elements, the framework refers broadly to behavioral, social, and socioeconomic sciences; to professionalism and ethics; and to caring for patients from a variety of backgrounds. However, the proposed elements do not clearly articulate the specific knowledge, skills, or behaviors students must develop to understand and respond to the social, cultural, and structural factors that shape health and clinical care. Without explicit expectations, the framework fails to align with the realities of contemporary medical practice, where clinicians must be trained not only in biomedical and clinical sciences but also in the competencies required to deliver equitable patient-centered care.

Question #2: “The language of the elements is clear.”

→ Select Agree.

Question #3: “Taken together, the language of the elements includes the breadth of content specified in the language of the standard.”

→ Select Disagree and comment:

The revised elements do not reflect the full breadth of content specified in the standard. They omit structural competency and remove requirements for students to learn how to recognize and address bias. In addition, they exclude more robust constructs such as cultural responsiveness, cultural humility, and structural humility that more fully capture the skills and competencies essential for equitable care. Without these components, the revisions do not adequately prepare students for contemporary medical practice in a diverse society.

Question #4 Comment on missing topic areas:

→ Comment:

Several essential topic areas are missing from the revised standard. These include structural competency; critical reflection on bias in oneself, others, and healthcare delivery; and evidence-supported frameworks such as cultural humility, cultural responsiveness, Health Equity Competency Models, Ecological Models of Health, etc. These constructs emphasize lifelong learning, reflexivity, attention to power differentials, and the ability to identify and respond to structural and social factors affecting patient care. Their inclusion is necessary to align the standard with the LCME’s stated commitments to health equity, professionalism, and patient-centered care.