Socially Responsible Surgery

Socially Responsible Surgery is a national organization, founded at BU, that is working for Surgical Equity through advocacy, education, research, and service. The BU/BMC Chapter has two tracks that students may join: Service Learning and Advocacy. 

Students may apply to one or both tracks (tracks will have the same application timeline) but may only accept a spot in one track. Additionally, Socially Responsible Surgery hosts General Body meetings, service projects, and research initiatives throughout the year that are open to the Boston Medical Center/BUCASM community at large. We encourage anyone that is interested in Surgical Equity to get involved! 

For more information about SRS please visit our website: https://www.sociallyresponsiblesurgery.org/ 

Socially Responsible Surgery (Service Learning Project) 

    Mission: 

    Socially Responsible Surgery (SRS) aims to reduce health disparities by increasing equitable access to surgical care and integrating social determinants of health education into medical training through a variety of education, research, service, and advocacy initiatives. The SRS Service Learning Group provides students with the opportunity to interact with patients and help teach patients about their surgical care so that patients have a better understanding of their medical conditions. Students will also learn to screen patients for social determinants of health (SDH) that may pose barriers to patient care. Students will attend didactic sessions related to social determinants of health, common surgical procedures, and patient education skill development. 

    Students in the service learning group have had the opportunity to educate hundreds of patients in the post-operative period in the project’s ongoing effort to help patients better understand their medical conditions. 

    Goals: 

    • Increase medical student knowledge of social determinants of health and gain confidence in screening for SDH 
    • Increase medical student knowledge of common surgical procedures and related medical care 
    • Develop students’ communication and patient education skills 
    • Increase patient health literacy 
    • Improve inpatient experience on the surgical services 

      Socially Responsible Surgery (Advocacy Track) 

      Mission: The advocacy group focuses on initiatives centered around awareness, policy, and education in order to create sustainable change in our community. The first semester will focus on didactic sessions on advocacy tools, and during the second semester, we will provide opportunities to put those skills into action.  

      Goals: 

      • Develop a student’s toolbox in methods for advocating for changes in healthcare 
      • Engage students in local government systems and teaching them how to drive policy change 
      • Provide students with guided practice in implementing advocacy projects 
      • Introduce students to current leaders in social justice advocacy 
      • Form connections with and support local, grassroots organizations