About Us
The Medicine for the Greater Good-School of Medicine (MGG-SOM) Partnership is an extension of the existing Medicine for the Greater Good curriculum with a special focus on medical students. MGG was initially founded to educate healthcare providers and residents at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center about social determinants of health (SDoH) and to strengthen their skills in community outreach. MGG's fundamental mission is to promote health and wellness beyond the confines of the hospital through an interactive and engaging partnership with the community, as well as to impact the professional identities of future doctors and nurses. According to the National Academy of Medicine, medical care accounts for only 10-20% of the modifiable contributors to healthy outcomes for a population. The other 80-90% of contributors are what we refer to as social determinants of health. As our first course in medical school, we briefly learn about the profound health and healthcare disparities that persist in the East Baltimore community and other marginalized communities nationwide. The MGG-SOM Partnership hopes to build on this foundation to empower medical students to engage with the East Baltimore community with respect, cultural humility, and in a reciprocal manner. Interactive "chalk talks" led by an MGG physician-leader will be held approximately every 6-8 weeks to educate students on SDoH. Topic choices are student-driven and can range from environmental health to social justice. Underlying each of these topics is education on how to effectively engage communities and disseminate medical messaging using community-specific values and language. Students will have the opportunity to put this education into practice through service projects with MGG's partner organizations. Mentorship from MGG physician-leaders will be available for students who wish to engage in longitudinal or academic projects. We welcome participation from all interested JHSOM students, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other identity.
