Assessment of faculty members’ perceptions towards community-oriented health professions education in Egypt: a concurrent convergent mixed-methods study

Background: Despite the growing recognition of Community-Oriented Health Professions Education (COHPE) as an essential framework for developing socially accountable healthcare practitioners, there remains a critical knowledge gap regarding faculty members’ perceptions of COHPE across different health professions disciplines and institutional contexts. Aim: This study investigates faculty perceptions of COHPE implementation across multiple disciplines and institutions in Egypt. Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods design was used, involving 454 faculty members from governmental and non-governmental health professions institutions. Quantitative data were collected via validated surveys and analysed using descriptive statistics and agreement indices. Qualitative data from focus group discussions underwent thematic analysis. Integration of both datasets followed a convergent design to identify patterns and contradictions in implementation experiences. Results: Overall, COHPE implementation was rated as neutral (mean agreement index: 2.8/5), suggesting uncertainty rather than an endorsement issue. Four domains reflected moderate implementation: relevance to community needs, priority health problems, cultural sensitivity, and health systems integration. Domains such as community empowerment, involvement, and partnership development received the lowest scores. Ten overarching themes were identified, with logistical constraints, curriculum rigidity, and faculty development gaps being the most recurrent. Faculty experience did not correlate with stronger COHPE implementation, revealing a paradox in traditional education models. Conclusion: Findings highlight a widespread conceptual awareness of COHPE principles, but persistent structural and cultural barriers limit their full integration. The convergence of quantitative neutrality and qualitative concern indicates systemic rather than isolated challenges. Strategic reforms targeting curriculum design, faculty training, and stakeholder engagement are essential to transition COHPE from idealistic talk to embedded practice.