Hajar Shieh - Quality Improvement in Clinical Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz, Iran
Shirin Ghanavati - Quality Improvement in Clinical Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz, Iran
Parisa Nabeiei - Quality Improvement in Clinical Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz, Iran
Mitra Amini - Quality Improvement in Clinical Education Research Center, Education Development Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz, Iran

Introduction: Social accountability has received much research attention in recent decades. Social accountability has been identified as an important prerequisite in development; however different development targets each have a particular definitionof social accountability. The aim of this study was to provide indicators for application in making assessments for the progress of medical science colleges and institutions towards socialaccountability. Method: This research was conducted as a qualitative study in 2015. The research aimed to explore indicators of social accountability in medical science training institutions using three rounds of theDelphi technique. A group of experts was gathered from among all regions of Iran. Prior to the first round of Delphi, some proposed measures were identified from a review of the related literature.In the first round, content validity ratio values were determined for each indicator and accountability assessment was the made by the group of experts. In the second round of Delphi, item-contentvalidity index determinations were made according to relevance and clarity of the indicators. In the third final round, confirmation of indicators was made by the group of experts.Results: The four main domains of organization and performance, educational activities, research activities and cooperation in health services in society and region, were confirmed using the Delphimethod. Finally, 58 objective indicators were listed for these 4 domains.Conclusion: Determination of national criteria for evaluating social accountability is a major step toward improving accountability in medical training institutions. Evaluations for medical traininginstitutions based on criteria derived from this study were determined as efficient. But further research is needed on function of the mentioned criteria in relation to fulfilling the needs of society.

Social Accountability, Medical Education, Schools, Indicator