Medically underserved communities suffer a high burden of morbidity and mortality, increasing with remoteness where access to health services is limited. Major challenges are the overall shortage and maldistribution of the health workforce. There is a lack of understanding of how academic institutions can best contribute to addressing these health inequities. A new international collaborative of health professions schools, Training for Health Equity Network, is developing and disseminating evidence, challenging assumptions, and developing tools that support health profession institutions striving to meet the health and health workforce needs of underserved communities.
Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.