A description and opinions of a longitudinal book club for comprehensive pharmacy faculty development

A systematic review of faculty development programs based on the Harden teacher's role framework model

BACKGROUND

Despite the changing roles of faculty in the health professions over the past two decades, none of the reviews has been paid enough attention to the impact of the faculty development programs on these roles. The objective of this review is to synthesize the existing evidence that addresses the questions: "What are the types and outcomes of faculty development programs based on the Harden teachers' role framework and which of the areas described by Harden and Crosby are the authors referring to?"

METHODS

This review was conducted according to the guidance for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. In 2020, a literature search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Magiran and SID databases. The review included 119 studies (between 1990 and 2020) that met the review criteria. Data were extracted using a modified coding sheet. We used the modified Kirkpatrick model to assess the educational outcomes of faculty development programs.

RESULTS

The majority of faculty development programs were workshops (33.61%) with various durations. Most programs focused on the domain of information provider and coach (76.47%), followed by the facilitator of learning and mentor (53.78%) and assessor and diagnostician (37.81%). Only five faculty development programs focused on the domain of role model. The majority (83.19%) of outcomes reported were at level 2B, level 1 (73.95%) and level 2A (71.42%). Gains in knowledge and skills related to teaching methods and student assessment were frequently noted. Behavior changes included enhanced teaching performance, development of new educational curricula and programs, improved feedback and evaluation processes, new leadership positions, increased academic output and career development. The impact on the organizational practice continued to be underexplored.

CONCLUSION

Based on the review findings, broadening the scope of faculty development programs beyond the traditional roles of the faculty members by utilizing a competency-based framework for developing a comprehensive faculty development program is recommended. Attention to individualized form of faculty development programs and incorporating more informal approaches into the design and delivery of faculty development programs is also needed.

A Scoping Review of Educator Proficiency Interventions in Pharmacy Education Illustrated by an Interdisciplinary Model Integrating Pedagogical Theories into Practice

Pharmacy schools recognize the need for flexibility and comprehensive curricular transformation with a competency-based focus to effectively prepare for the evolving practitioner competencies and challenges of the pharmacy profession. The curricular implementation of evidence-based teaching and learning theories and practices demands educator proficiency through skills development with indispensable faculty leadership support. Our scoping review of online databases and pharmacy education-related journals aims to identify faculty development interventions or teaching proficiency programs that integrate educational and pedagogical theories. Original studies and reviews published between 2010 and 2022 were screened based on four inclusion criteria. Thirty-four manuscripts were eligible for full-text analysis, of which seven results referenced target faculty pedagogy knowledge development. Nine key messages, as Results Statements, synthesize and provide a framework for our results analysis. An ongoing Hungarian intervention model of comprehensive faculty development with strong interdisciplinary cooperation is discussed in our study to illustrate the applicability of the Results Statements through each stage of the process. Educator motivation and relatedness to students or awareness of the educator roles are intrinsic factors, which may not be easily detectable yet significantly impact teaching proficiency and student learning outcomes. The integration of evidence-based pedagogical knowledge and training in educator proficiency development contributes to the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of faculty interventions.

Read to Lead: Developing a Leadership Book Club Curriculum for Graduate Medical Education

BACKGROUND

The importance of effective leadership for improving patient care and physician well-being is gaining increased attention in medicine. Despite this, few residency programs have formalized education on leadership in medicine. The most effective ways to train graduate medical education (GME) trainees in leadership are unclear.

METHODS

Our large internal medicine residency program implemented a book club to develop leadership skills in residency. Through independent reading of the selected book and resident-led small group discussions, we facilitated dialogue on the challenges of leading effectively.

RESULTS

A survey-based curricular evaluation demonstrated that 61% of respondents felt that the book club influenced their thoughts about leadership and that 66% of participants would recommend the book club to other residency programs. Lack of time was the main barrier to participation while addition of complementary media or alternative book formats were identified as possible solutions to increase engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

Leadership book clubs are a practical and effective way to teach leadership during residency. More research is needed to identify the best formats for book club discussion and to develop additional tools to foster future physician leaders.

Fostering cultural sensitivity amongst students of pharmacy through an interprofessional book club activity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To describe a large-scale, cultural sensitivity-focused interprofessional book club activity that is required in the first-professional year of an accelerated pharmacy curriculum.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

An interprofessional book club activity, focusing on the need for cultural sensitivity in health care, is conducted annually for students in the acupuncture, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and sonography programs. Each year over 400 students are required to attend and are assigned to interprofessional groups to discuss guided questions pertaining to the book written by Anne Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. Pharmacy students complete multiple assignments before and after the activity. Students are administered a post-survey to collect student feedback and self-assessment data. The book club has been run in both synchronous and asynchronous formats.

FINDINGS

Student survey responses have consistently revealed that the majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that they were better prepared for culturally-diverse patient interactions, the activity allowed for interprofessional learning, and the activity should continue for future students.

SUMMARY

A book club activity is an effective strategy for delivering content related to cultural sensitivity in an interprofessional format. This activity model can be used to support interactions with multiple professions in different schools within the same university or with multiple professions located at different universities/institutions.

The use of a book club to promote biomedical trainee professional development

Professional development for biomedical doctoral and postdoctoral trainees is vital, especially due to the increase in individuals pursuing non-faculty career paths. We created a professional development-focused discussion group between trainees and faculty/staff by utilizing a book club format in which monthly small group meetings occurred over an 8-month period. A pre- and post-survey consisting of Likert and free-response questions was completed by participants. Results demonstrated that after the book club, trainees: 1) were more knowledgeable about a variety of career paths; 2) had improved awareness of their interests in relation to their career; 3) were more knowledgeable of their transferrable skills; 4) were more comfortable engaging with their PI and completing/updating an Individual Development Plan; 5) were more likely to find mentors in addition to their PI to address career specific needs; and 6) were more likely to seek opportunities to conduct informational interviews or experiential learning. Additionally, we found that faculty/staff: 1) were more knowledgeable about careers outside of academia; 2) had greater consideration for their mentee's values and interests in relation to their career; 3) had a better understanding of their mentee's transferable skills; and 4) were more comfortable engaging with their mentee about their career path and addressing an Individual Development Plan. Overall, we found that the utilization of a book club consisting of trainees and faculty/staff as a professional development tool was beneficial for both groups of participants, and this format is feasible for use in biomedical education professional development.

A Virtual Book Club for Professional Development in Emergency Medicine

INTRODUCTION

Professional development is an important component of graduate medical education, but it is unclear how to best deliver this instruction. Book clubs have been used outside of medicine as a professional development tool. We sought to create and evaluate a virtual professional development book club for emergency medicine interns.

METHODS

We designed and implemented a virtual professional development book club during intern orientation. Afterward, participants completed an evaluative survey consisting of Likert and free-response items. Descriptive statistics were reported. We analyzed free-response data using a thematic approach.

RESULTS

Of 15 interns who participated in the book club, 12 (80%) completed the evaluative survey. Most (10/12; 83.3%) agreed or strongly agreed that the book club showed them the importance of professional development as a component of residency training and helped them reflect on their own professional (11/12; 91.7%) and personal development (11/12; 91.7%). Participants felt the book club contributed to bonding with their peers (9/12; 75%) and engagement with the residency program (9/12; 75%). Our qualitative analysis revealed five major themes regarding how the book club contributed to professional and personal development: alignment with developmental stage; deliberate practice; self-reflection; strategies to address challenges; and communication skills.

CONCLUSION

A virtual book club was feasible to implement. Participants identified multiple ways the book club positively contributed to their professional development. These results may inform the development of other book clubs in graduate medical education.