The Bridge Model™: A comprehensive, compassionate community-based care model

The Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Acessibility and Social Justice (IDEAS) initiative at the Faculty of Medicine is pleased to host Dr. Smita Pakhalé for an in-depth exploration of the Bridge Model™—a comprehensive, compassionate framework for community-based care that aligns medical and social systems around the needs, realities, and expertise of the people they serve. Drawing on longstanding collaboration with community peer researchers and individuals with lived and living experience, Dr. Pakhalé offers a grounded demonstration of what authentic partnership and shared leadership look like in practice.

This session will showcase the glaring research gaps that persist in community-centered care and illuminate why these gaps endure. It will highlight the critical importance of research representation, examining how the absence—or presence—of lived experience shapes both the questions we ask and the solutions we design. Participants will learn the principles, structure, and real-world application of the Bridge Model™, gaining insight into how it strengthens continuity, dignity, and accountability across care settings. Finally, the workshop will invite attendees to ponder the future impacts of adopting more inclusive, community-driven models of inquiry and practice.

Through case examples and collaborative insights from peer researchers, this event offers a clear-eyed look at how compassion, partnership, and community expertise can transform research culture and the systems it aims to improve.