Faculty development: if you build it, they will come

Practical tips for a fast and successful transition to an online curriculum

The COVID-19 pandemic and the following lockdown forced educational institutions to transform their face-to-face curriculum into an online programme in a matter of weeks. In this article, we present 12 tips for a successful transition based on the challenges that we faced in the Bachelor of Medicine at Amsterdam Medical Centre. These tips are divided in four main themes: infrastructure, faculty development, student engagement, and teaching activities. The Community of Inquiry model is used as backbone in all tips, since the three elements, teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence are essential factors in effective online education. These tips can be useful for everyone who wants to implement online education in their curriculum, whether borne out of necessity or by design.

Characterization and analysis of the proposals submitted to the PET-Health Interprofessionality in Brazil: advancements and future directions

The Program of Education through Work for Health (PET-Health), with a focus on interprofessionality, is one of the actions of the Plan for the Strengthening of Interprofessional Education in Brazil. This research aimed to systematically analyze the characteristics of the proposals submitted to the public notice of the PET-Health Interprofessionality specifically in relation to the theoretical-conceptual and methodological alignment of interprofessional education (IPE). The study is a qualitative document content analysis. We analyzed one hundred and twenty projects submitted to the selection process from institutions participating in the PET-Health Interprofessionality. Content analysis followed three steps: pre-analysis, exploration of the material, and treatment and interpretation of results. Seven categories were identified: a) alignment with the theoretical-conceptual frameworks of IPE, b) curriculum changes, c) faculty development with a focus on IPE, d) articulation among objectives, actions, and results expected related to IPE, e) strategies for monitoring and evaluation, f) involvement of users/families and community, and g) development of collaborative competencies. We conclude that while some advancements have been made, there remains a need for more in-depth discussion in Brazil to ensure the development of competencies capable of assuring more integral, resolute, and safer healthcare services, with capacity to (re)signify user-centered care in the planning and delivery of healthcare.

From field of dreams to back to the future? Exploring barriers to participating in continuing professional development (CPD) programs

BACKGROUND

In 2009, Yvonne Steinert et al., at McGill University, published a study exploring barriers to faculty development (FD) participation among urban faculty. Over a decade later, we set out to replicate and expand on that study to learn what has changed in continued professional development (CPD) and what the current barriers are to participation in CPD for specialists and family physicians in rural and urban locations.

METHODS

Informed by a collaborative inquiry research framework, we invited faculty across rural and urban Saskatchewan to focus groups and interview sessions. The results were analyzed for themes.

RESULTS

Thirty-four faculty members from both rural and urban areas participated in this study. Of these, 50% were female, 74% practiced in urban areas, and 56% had over 20 years of experience. Frequently cited reasons for nonparticipation included time constraints, organizational and logistical challenges, poor resonance with material and presenters, and lack of recognition for teaching provided. Racism contributed to feelings of disconnectedness among physician faculty members.

CONCLUSION

Even after more than a decade, our research uncovered consistent reasons for nonparticipation in locally organized CPD events. New findings highlighted feelings of disconnectedness, notably stemming from racism and workplace discrimination. However, with recent societal developments brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, can we ride these major waves of change to a new future of engagement? The pandemic led to a shift to virtual and hybrid professional development programs, presenting both benefits and challenges. Additionally, the peri-COVID anti-racism movement may positively address previously unidentified reasons for nonattendance. Harnessing these major changes could lead to a new future of engagement for continued professional development.

Current Experiences, Expectations, and Future Roles of Faculty Development

Introduction

There is complexity to the success of faculty development (FD) programs at the departmental level, and many of the contributing factors can range from the individual to systems levels. The purpose of this study is to explore faculty perception of what FD encompasses, as well as their past/current experiences with FD, and perceptions regarding the importance, barriers, and facilitators to participating in FD.

Methods

This is a single center, qualitative descriptive study guided through a social constructionist perspective. Faculty from a pediatrics department were asked to participate in 1-h focus groups of 4-5 faculty per group. All sessions were done virtually and audio-recorded for transcription. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis was performed on the transcribed data.

Results

Overall, 5 major themes were identified: (1) purpose/meaning of FD for faculty, (2) perceptions of faculty regarding FD, (3) challenges that faculty encounter with FD, (4) designing and delivering FD to faculty, and (5) comparing FD and continuing professional development (CPD). Some of the main findings included (a) creating flexible and personalized FD curricula, (b) department focusing on bringing the faculty together as a community, and (c) department developing a broader definition of FD that could be used as a reference point in the whole department.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that barriers and challenges for accessing and making the most of FD opportunities still persist. Going forward, departments interested in improving their FD initiatives should focus on individualized, flexible, and technology enhanced FD approaches that motivate participation.

A mixed-methods study of the effectiveness and perceptions of a course design institute for health science educators

BACKGROUND

Most health care professionals get their start in academics without formal teaching training. As such, institutions encourage participation in opportunities to address gaps in faculty's knowledge of pedagogy and learning theory in order to promote both successful student and patient outcomes. This study aimed to examine the reception of a faculty development program focused on teaching participants the basics of course design.

METHODS

Applying a mixed-method approach, this retrospective study used pre/post-tests, assignment grades, self-assessment questionnaires, and focus groups to elucidate the impact of the faculty development intervention on course design. The participants (n = 12) were health educators from a private all-graduate level university with campus locations across the United States, including in the Southwest and Midwest. In the Course Design Institute (CDI), the participating faculty learned evidence-based instructional approaches and techniques to implement contemporary teaching practices.

RESULTS

The data from the pre/post-tests and focus groups suggest that participants learned about topics including instructional alignment, learning goals and objectives, instructional strategies, assessment planning, feedback approaches, communicating expectations, and adult learning theories by participating in this course. The final deliverable scores indicate that the CDI graduates were able to apply a backward design process to plan their own instruction. Data from both the survey and the focus groups suggest that participants were satisfied with the experience and particularly appreciated that the course was relevant to them as educators in the health sciences.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that the CDI was influential in developing the faculty's knowledge of the course design process, promoted the application of course design and pedagogy skills amongst CDI graduates, and positively impacted self-reported attitudes about their teaching abilities. In addition, feedback from participants indicates that they recognized the value of this program in their own development and they believed it should be a required course for all educators at the institution.

Supporting the well-being of new university teachers through teacher professional development

Over the last decades, changes within higher education have created increased pressure and uncertainty for academics, increasing their risk for cognitive, behavioral, physical, as well as psychological issues due to high job demands. Specifically, for new academics in teaching roles, their lack of knowledge and skills can contribute to a negative effect of these job demands on their well-being. This study therefore explored how teaching-related professional development programs can enhance new university teachers’ well-being, through semi-structured interviews with 10 university teachers participating in such a program at a mid-sized Dutch university. We pay special attention to the relationship between specific learning activities integrated in the program (such as learning communities, formal workshops, and reflecting) and various dimensions of the psychological model of well-being by Ryff and Keyes (such as self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, and positive relationships). Using co-occurrence analysis and content analysis, we found that different learning activities had distinct relationships with different well-being facets. For example, formal workshops were mainly related to environmental mastery, a purpose in life and personal growth, while reflecting seemed to be especially connected to teachers’ self-acceptance, and participating in a learning community was mainly related to positive relations with others and personal growth. Our findings have implications for research on teacher well-being as well as for the design of professional development programs for higher education teaching staff.

Faculty Development Offered by US Medical Schools: A National Survey of Pediatric Educators

INTRODUCTION

There are limited data on the status of faculty development (FD) in the United States. Through a national survey of pediatric educators, we explored the frequency and topics of FD on teaching skills offered at US medical schools, as well as the strategies' schools use to encourage and track participation.

METHODS

Five piloted questions were included in the 2017 Annual Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics Survey. We used descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven (66%) of the 148 surveyed US medical schools responded to at least one FD question. Ninety-eight percent of respondents reported being offered FD on teaching, with 97% of those respondents reporting that FD occurred at least annually. A variety of FD topics were reported, with feedback and precepting being most common. Incentives included continuing medical education (CME credit) (39%) and being relieved of clinical duties (23%). However, 29% reported little support for FD. Only 20% of schools reported their department tracked FD participation outside the department.

DISCUSSION

Our data suggest that the majority of medical schools offer FD on teaching skills at least yearly, with a variety of topics. Institutions utilize a variety of incentives for participation. However, a significant minority of respondents reported little support for FD. Further, departments rarely track faculty FD participation.

OUP accepted manuscript

What motivates faculty teaching gateway courses to consider adopting an evidence-based classroom intervention? In this nationally representative study of biology faculty members in the United States (N = 422), we used expectancy–value–cost theory to understand three convergent motivational processes the faculty members’ underlying intentions to adopt an exemplar evidence-based classroom intervention: the utility value intervention (UVI). Although the faculty members perceived the intervention as valuable, self-reported intentions to implement it were degraded by concerns about costs and lower expectancies for successful implementation. Structural equation modeling revealed that the faculty members reporting lower intentions to adopt it tended to be White and to identify as male and had many years of teaching or were from a more research-focused university. These personal, departmental, and institutional factors mapped onto value, expectancies, and cost perceptions uniquely, showing that each process was a necessary but insufficient way to inspire intentions to adopt the UVI. Our findings suggest multifaceted, context-responsive appeals to support faculty member motivation to scale up adoption of evidence-based classroom interventions.

Training Faculty as an Institutional Response to COVID-19 Emergency Remote Teaching Supported by Data

In March 2020, colleges in the United States rapidly switched in-person courses online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To chronicle how biology faculty responded to this emergency remote teaching, we surveyed faculty across the United States in August of 2020. Our survey included open-ended questions to identify a memorable moment, difficulties encountered, and unexpected benefits during the first COVID-19 semester. Faculty responses were coded by two researchers, and 21 themes emerged. Seventeen coding themes corresponded to one of four facets of adult personal resilience theory, and we used nonparametric statistical tests to compare resilience between inexperienced and experienced online instructors, as well as trained and untrained instructors. Experienced online instructors were more likely to describe an act of kindness in their memory but were also more likely to include negative student behavior as a difficulty. Untrained faculty were the only instructors who included student engagement as a difficulty and were more likely to describe a negative, discouraging memory. We used conditional forest analysis to identify polarizing themes between faculty with and without previous experience teaching online and between faculty who did and did not receive formal training. Our results underline the importance of training faculty, including experienced instructors, to improve emergency preparedness.

Faculty perceptions of a town hall model for engagement in continuous quality improvement

INTRODUCTION

To determine faculty perceptions of participating in a town hall model on the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Faculty Curriculum Quality Surveys (CQS) focused on continuous quality improvement (CQI) at two institutions.

METHODS

To support a culture of assessment focused on CQI, Ferris State University College of Pharmacy (FSUCOP) developed and implemented a town hall model for use with the CQS in fall 2017. It was determined that involving faculty in the CQS analysis process may assist with interpretation and CQI. FSUCOP sought to determine if the CQI model utilized could also be implemented at another institution. Therefore, Cedarville University School of Pharmacy (CUSOP) replicated the FSUCOP town hall model for use in 2018-2019 academic year CQS data interpretation and dissemination. To determine the perceptions of efficacy, faculty at FSUCOP and CUSOP received a pre-survey prior to the fall 2018 town hall and a post-survey following completion of the town hall. The pre- and post-surveys utilized five-point, Likert-type agreement questions (strongly disagree to strongly agree).

RESULTS

A total of 47 and 26 faculty completed the pre- and post-surveys, respectively. Faculty agreement on the survey items increased after participating in the town hall. Nearly 81% of faculty strongly or somewhat agreed the town hall model was a good use of their time.

CONCLUSION

The town hall model was replicable at another institution. Faculty perceived the town hall model as a positive approach to CQI, and discussions provided assessment personnel with valuable information for data interpretation and usage.

Got 15? Try Faculty Development on the Fly: A Snippets Workshop for Microlearning

INTRODUCTION

Faculty development (FD) is an element critical to the professional growth of medical educators and a necessary component in developing effective educators. FD offerings are prevalent across academic institutions; however, faculty report they are unable to participate in these initiatives due to time limitations and competing priorities. The snippet FD approach can address these concerns but requires training for FD providers to be effectively used.

METHODS

This snippet train-the-trainer workshop was presented to approximately 310 physician and nonphysician medical educators at a national medical education conference. The session incorporated multiple teaching modalities (e.g., lecture, demonstrations, structured small-group snippet development groups, and large-group debriefs). A 14-item Likert-scale survey was used to obtain participant evaluations. Narrative feedback was collected using constructed response items.

RESULTS

Ninety-five percent of respondents (125 of 132) planned to use snippets as an FD strategy at least once per year, with 38% (50 of 132) noting they planned to use snippets at least four times per year. Respondents indicated that FD snippets could positively impact educational practices (94%) and that the session was a valuable use of their time (94%), as well as expressing interest in a snippet repository (90%).

DISCUSSION

A brief FD train-the-trainer workshop for snippets can successfully prepare FD providers to create and use this approach.

Key Components of a Robust Faculty Development Program: An Emphasis on Contemporary Programming Events

A strong faculty development program is crucial to recruit, support, and advance early-career faculty members in order to achieve and sustain an exceptional and diverse medical community. There has been increasing appreciation for the importance of fostering intrapersonal "soft-skills" such as leadership, mentorship, resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. These skills allow an individual to better interact with others and their environment, and can facilitate teamwork, time management, decision-making, and conflict resolution. The development of these skills is an ongoing process that is cumulative in nature, and generalizable to any career phase or field of medicine. A comprehensive faculty development program must emphasize these contemporary notions alongside the traditional curriculum, and this includes individual, departmental, institutional, and national level considerations.

An Inter-Institutional Collaboration to "Make Teaching Matter": The Teaching Academy of the Consortium of West Region Colleges of Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary medical education is a relatively small community with limited numbers of institutions, people, and resources widely dispersed geographically. The problems faced, however, are large-and not very different from the problems faced by (human) medical education. As part of an effort to share resources and build a community of practice around common issues, five colleges in the westernmost region of the United States came together to form a regional inter-institutional consortium. This article describes the processes by which the consortium was formed and the initiation of its first collaborative endeavor, an inter-institutional medical/biomedical teaching academy (the Regional Teaching Academy, or RTA). We report outcomes, including the successful launch of three RTA initiatives, and the strategies that have been considered key to the academy's success. These include strong support from the consortium deans, including an ongoing financial commitment, a dedicated part-time Executive Coordinator, regular face-to-face meetings that supplement virtual meetings, an organization-wide biennial conference, an effective organizational structure, and a core group of dedicated leaders and RTA Fellows. The western consortium and RTA share these processes, insights, and outcomes to provide a model upon which other colleges of veterinary medicine can build to further leverage inter-institutional collaboration.

The case for faculty development: A realist evaluation

CONTEXT

It seems logical to suggest that investing in educators will lead to improved educational outcomes. However, in the case of faculty development, it is unclear how these benefits arise and decisions about investment typically have little basis in evidence. The aim of this realist evaluation was to understand the mechanisms by which investment in faculty development may lead to improved educational outcomes for staff and students.

METHODS

This realist evaluation involved three phases: the development of an initial programme theory based on existing peer-reviewed literature (Phase 1), which was used within 32 realist interviews with key stakeholders at 17 UK medical schools (Phase 2), to underpin the creation of a series of recommendations for faculty development programme designers (Phase 3).

RESULTS

The findings highlighted the complex and heterogeneous nature of faculty development programmes. Programme developers must consider a range of contexts (accreditation, meeting educational needs, learning culture, accessibility and interactivity) that can impact faculty members in variable ways (engagement, sense of value and belonging, motivation, reassurance and building relationships), potentially resulting in a range of staff outcomes (improved competence, satisfaction, confidence, faculty member collaboration and curriculum changes) that may ultimately benefit students. The improved understanding resulting from Phases 1 and 2, and the recommendations from Phase 3, will enable the design and tailoring of new and existing faculty development initiatives.

CONCLUSIONS

This study deepens our understanding of the role of context in faculty development through the realist methodology employed and extends pre-existing knowledge to provide insights into evidence-based interventional strategies that may be effective. In particular, faculty development leads need to develop a clear implementation strategy, improve transparency of cashflow, establish effective formal or informal communication systems and evaluate the efficacy of their faculty development initiatives.

Sustaining a Collegewide Teaching Academy as a Community: 10 Years of Experience With the Master Teacher Program at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine

On the basis of strategic initiatives and an evolving focus on educational program enhancement, faculty and staff members designed a structured program to provide leadership and resources for improving instruction and disseminating educational scholarship in a veterinary college. The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine Master Teacher Program was conceptualized in the teaching academy model as a forum for professional development and dialogue. A small leadership team worked with other faculty to develop the program proposal, including its mission, vision, values, and initial goals. Programming includes monthly meetings to discuss a range of policy, theoretical, and practical topics, as well as periodic workshops focused on current strategic initiatives or hot topics. Ten years later, the program continues to successfully connect educators and have an impact on the college and profession. Attendance has grown steadily; feedback has been positive. Participants rate the program's overall value highly, particularly its impact on their teaching, the opportunity to stay current in educational topics, and the opportunity to learn from colleagues. Discussions within the program have provided valuable input for college policy and practices. Keys to sustained success have included a historical culture emphasizing the teaching mission, alignment with college goals, consistency in leadership and programming, periodic revisions and rebranding, and attention to new faculty and staff needs. This article describes the development, growth, and perceived impact of the program and emphasizes lessons learned and actions taken to sustain its success without additional personnel and at minimal cost.

Expanding Faculty Development of Teaching Skills: A National Needs Assessment of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Faculty

OBJECTIVES

High-quality clinical teaching is an essential element in preparing trainees to become independently competent clinicians. In order to better understand the context-specific faculty development needs of teaching faculty in a specific community, we sought to determine the self-reported teaching skill deficits of pediatric critical care medicine faculty and their preferences and motivations regarding faculty development to enhance their teaching.

DESIGN

Modified Delphi technique was used to create an online survey in which respondents rated their need for education on a variety of teaching skills, their preferred learning modalities, and factors that motivate their participation in faculty development.

SETTING

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine divisions at the 64 sites in the United States with fellowship programs.

SUBJECTS

Five-hundred forty-five Pediatric Critical Care Medicine faculty who teach fellows and other trainees.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Response rate was 40%. Respondents reported a median of 8.5 years (interquartile range, 4-16 yr) as teaching faculty. The median age of faculty was 44.6 years (interquartile range, 38-50 yr). Only 20% of respondents indicated that improving their teaching was a low priority. Thirty-six percent of respondents had not participated in any formal teaching skill development as faculty. The most frequently cited factors motivating engagement in faculty development were education being included as part of regularly attended conferences, resources readily available when needed, and participation promoted by a supervisor. Preferred learning modalities included a brief discussion with a colleague, a 10-minute video, and a regular conference series.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine faculty reported they experience challenges in teaching and would benefit from faculty development training aimed at improving their knowledge and skills about being an educator. Preferred learning methods and motivating factors highlight the importance of efficiency in content delivery and endorsement by faculty supervisors. Consideration of these needs and preferences may be useful in creating context-focused, community of practice-based faculty development programs.

What's All the Chatter? A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Emergency Physicians' Tweets

INTRODUCTION

Twitter is growing in popularity and influence among emergency physicians (EP), with over 2200 self-identified EP users. As Twitter's popularity has increased among EPs so too has its influence. While there has been debate about the value of Twitter as an effective educational delivery tool, little attention has been paid to the nature of the conversation occurring on Twitter. We aim to describe how influential EPs use Twitter by characterizing the language, purpose, frequencies, content, and degree of engagement of their tweets.

METHODS

We performed a mixed-methods analysis following a combined content analysis approach. We conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses of a sample of tweets from the 61 most influential EPs on Twitter. We present descriptive tweet characteristics and noteworthy themes.

RESULTS

We analyzed 1375 unique tweets from 57 unique users, representing 93% of the influential Twitter EPs. A majority of tweets (1104/1375, 80%) elicited some response in the form of retweets, likes, or replies, demonstrating community engagement. The qualitative analysis identified 15 distinct categories of tweets.

CONCLUSION

Influential EPs on Twitter were engaged in largely medical conversations in which most messages generated some form of interaction. They shared resources and opinions while also building social rapport in a community of practice. This data can help EPs make informed decisions about social media engagement.

Contradictions in clinical teachers' engagement in educational development: an activity theory analysis

Many medical universities offer educational development activities to support clinical teachers in their teaching role. Research has focused on the scope and effectiveness of such activities and on why individual teachers attend. However, systemic perspectives that go beyond a focus on individual participants are scarce in the existing literature. Employing activity theory, we explored how clinical teachers' engagement in educational development was affected by the systems they act within. Three focus groups were held with clinical teachers from different professions. A thematic analysis was used to map the contradictions between the systems that the participants were part of and the manifestations of these contradictions in the system of education. In our model, clinical teachers were part of three activity systems directed by the objects of patient care, research and education respectively. Contradictions arose between these systems as their objects were not aligned. This manifested through the enacted values of the academic hospital, difficulties establishing educational discussions in the clinical workplace, the transient nature of educational employments, and impediments to developing a teacher identity. These findings offer insights into the complexities of engaging in educational development as clinical teachers' priorities interact with the practices and values of the academic hospital, suggesting that attention needs to shift from individual teachers to developing the systems in which they work.

Twelve tips for integrating leadership development into undergraduate medical education

Healthcare systems need effective leadership. All healthcare professionals can and should "learn to lead" and this requires a clear focus on leadership development from the earliest stages of a career. Within medicine, undergraduate students should be provided with opportunities to thrive and develop their skills in terms of leadership, management and followership. Drawing from the existing evidence base, the authors' expertise and the latest "thought leadership", these 12 tips provide practical guidance to universities and associated provider organizations, and to academic and clinical faculty, on how to integrate leadership development into their undergraduate medical programs. These 12 tips will help educators provide medical education that incorporates leadership as a core part of a professional's identity, and help students gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the teams, organizations and system they work within.

Video Observation With Guided Reflection: A Method for Continuing Teaching Education

BACKGROUND

Best practices for faculty development programs include longitudinal, practice-based formats incorporating experiential learning with opportunities for reflection and community building. Peer coaching for faculty development provides personalized, learner-centered, work-based learning. Implementation of traditional 1-on-1 peer coaching programs is challenging due to time, logistics, and methodological barriers.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to improve observation and reflection skills and to expand personal teaching practices of clinician educators.

METHODS

In 2016, we developed and evaluated an innovative "1-to-many" peer-coaching model utilizing large group review of video-recorded teaching encounters. Forty-three clinician-educator faculty in general internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh attended at least 1 of 6 sessions between February and August 2016. Sessions were moderated by a master facilitator who guided direct observation of, and reflection on, observed teaching and highlighted efficacious teaching methods. The study evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of this novel faculty development program qualitatively, with semistructured, postcurriculum telephone interviews with 20 participating faculty.

RESULTS

All respondents stated that they would continue to attend faculty development sessions and would recommend them to others. The most frequently cited advantages included exposure to new teaching strategies, direct feedback, safe environment, community of practice, and growth mind-set, yet barriers emerged, such as discomfort reviewing video, difficulty giving feedback across hierarchy, and initial skepticism. None described the curriculum as critical or unsafe. Most reported increased self-reflection and adoption of new teaching behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

This peer-coaching, video-based faculty development program was well received, feasible, and effective in changing self-reported teaching attitudes and practices.

School of Medicine of Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte: A traditional curriculum with innovative trends in medical education

INTRODUCTION

The Medical School of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) is one of the biggest public medical schools in Northeast Brazil. In the last decade, significant investment in faculty development, innovative learning methodologies and student engagement has been key milestones in educational improvement at this medical school, harnessed to recent political changes that strengthened community-based and emergency education. This study describes how curriculum changes in UFRN Medical School have been responsible for major improvements in medical education locally and which impacts such transformations may have on the educational community.

METHODS

A group of students and teachers revised the new curriculum and established the key changes over the past years that have been responsible for the local enhancement of medical education. This information was compared and contrasted to further educational evidences in order to define patterns that can be reproduced in other institutions.

RESULTS

Improvements in faculty development have been fairly observed in the institution, exemplified by the participation of a growing number of faculty members in programs for professional development and also by the creation of a local masters degree in health education. Alongside, strong student engagement in curriculum matters enhanced the teaching-learning process.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to a deeper involvement of students and teachers in medical education, it has been possible to implement innovative teaching-learning and assessment strategies over the last ten years and place UFRN Medical School at a privileged position in relation to undergraduate training, educational research and professional development of faculty staff.

Process-oriented evaluation of an international faculty development program for Asian developing countries: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Non-English-speaking developing countries in Southeast Asia have been provided only limited opportunities for faculty development in the education of health professions. Although there exist a few programs that have been shown to be effective, they are frequently presented with few explanations on how and why the programs work due to their outcome-oriented nature. This study explores the process of the Lee Jong-Wook Fellowship for Health Professional Education, an international faculty development program designed for capacity building of educators of health professions in Southeast Asian developing countries.

METHODS

Fellows were from Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Qualitative data were collected from two types of semi-structured interviews - group and individual. Thematic analysis was conducted to explore the factors related to the effectiveness of the program, framed by four components of faculty development, which included context, facilitators, program, and participants.

RESULTS

From the thematic analysis, the authors identified a total of 12 themes in the four components of faculty development. In the context domain, the resource-poor setting, a culture that puts emphasis on hierarchy and seniority, and educational environment depending on individual commitment rather than broad consensus emerged as key factors. In the facilitators domain, their teaching methods and materials, mutual understanding between teacher and learner, and collaboration between facilitators mainly influenced the learning during the fellowship. In the program domain, the key advantages of the fellowship program were its applicability to the workplace of the fellows and enough allowed time for practice and reflection. Finally, in the participants domain, Fellows valued their heterogeneity of composition and recognized cognitive as well as non-cognitive attributes of the participants as essential.

CONCLUSIONS

This process-oriented evaluation reveals the diverse factors that contributed to achieving the intended outcomes of the fellowship. Although much evidence from best practices in faculty development are still valid, the findings suggest that the selection strategies, learning environment, and English communication should be given more consideration when organizing a program targeting these people and cultures. A comprehensive understanding of the process would contribute to developing tailored strategies for educators of health professions in developing countries in similar settings.

Conditions for excellence in teaching in medical education: The Frankfurt Model to ensure quality in teaching and learning

Background: There is general consensus that the organizational and administrative aspects of academic study programs exert an important influence on teaching and learning. Despite this, no comprehensive framework currently exists to describe the conditions that affect the quality of teaching and learning in medical education. The aim of this paper is to systematically and comprehensively identify these factors to offer academic administrators and decision makers interested in improving teaching a theory-based and, to an extent, empirically founded framework on the basis of which improvements in teaching quality can be identified and implemented. Method: Primarily, the issue was addressed by combining a theory-driven deductive approach with an experience based, "best evidence" one during the course of two workshops held by the GMA Committee on Personnel and Organizational Development in Academic Teaching (POiL) in Munich (2013) and Frankfurt (2014). Two models describing the conditions relevant to teaching and learning (Euler/Hahn and Rindermann) were critically appraised and synthesized into a new third model. Practical examples of teaching strategies that promote or hinder learning were compiled and added to the categories of this model and, to the extent possible, supported with empirical evidence. Based on this, a checklist with recommendations for optimizing general academic conditions was formulated. Results: The Frankfurt Model of conditions to ensure Quality in Teaching and Learning covers six categories: organizational structure/medical school culture, regulatory frameworks, curricular requirements, time constraints, material and personnel resources, and qualification of teaching staff. These categories have been supplemented by the interests, motives and abilities of the actual teachers and students in this particular setting. The categories of this model provide the structure for a checklist in which recommendations for optimizing teaching are given. Conclusions: The checklist derived from the Frankfurt Model for ensuring quality in teaching and learning can be used for quality assurance and to improve the conditions under which teaching and learning take place in medical schools.

Realist evaluation of faculty development for medical educators: What works for whom and why in the long-term

PURPOSE

Realism is a perspective in which entities exist independently of being perceived or independently of our theories about them. The realist framework with its principle of explanatory causation was used for an in-depth exploration of faculty development (FD) since, despite the widespread investment in FD, the evidence that it enhances the effectiveness of teaching in the long-term is still limited. The study aimed to develop realist theories that explain the connections between contexts (C), mechanisms (M) and outcomes (O) to find out what works for whom and why in FD.

METHODS

Purposive sampling was used to select two medical schools from each of the four UK regions (total 8 of the 33 UK medical schools) for interview of a faculty development coordinator and a medical educator at each school. Sixteen interviews were carried out. Data were coded and summarized under contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes (CMO) to derive realist theories.

RESULTS

We identified contexts that facilitated FD mechanisms of engagement, motivation, positive perception and professionalization, which led to educators' outcomes of improved confidence, competence, credibility and career progression.

CONCLUSION

Four realist theories, which support the effectiveness of FD in the long-term, were derived, enabling recommendations for FD stakeholders.

Is being a medical educator a lonely business? The essence of social support

CONTEXT

Social support helps prevent burnout and promotes its positive opposite, work engagement. With higher work engagement performance increases. The context-specific aspects of social support for medical educators, in their educator role, are unknown. To help facilitate social support our study describes the essential elements of social support and their meaning for medical educators.

METHODS

We held interviews with medical educators purposefully sampled for diverse backgrounds and working circumstances and who spent a considerable amount of time on education. Both clinicians and basic scientists participated. The Pictor technique guided the interviews. Participants were invited to talk about the breadth of social support and elaborate on meaningful experiences. Template analysis was used for a descriptive phenomenological approach.

RESULTS

Thirteen medical educators were interviewed. We identified four themes: (i) sources of support and their intent (e.g. a superior with the intent to stimulate personal growth); (ii) the materialisation of support (e.g. sought or offered); (iii) its manifestation (e.g. the act of providing protected time); and (iv) the overarching effect of social support, both in terms of practical effects and the meaning of support. We identified three sorts of meanings of social support for educators. Receiving support could lead to (i) feeling reassured and confident; (ii) feeling encouraged and determined and (iii) a sense of relatedness and acknowledgement of the educator role.

CONCLUSION

Support for education comes from a wide range of sources because it is both sought and offered beyond the boundaries of the educational role. The resulting differences in support provided necessitate that educational leaders and policymakers consider the sources available to each educator, connecting educators where necessary. When facilitating or designing social support it is important that the need to feel reassured, encouraged or related is met.

Institutional factors affecting participation in national faculty development programs: a nation-wide investigation of medical schools

BACKGROUND

Medical schools have used faculty development programs as an essential means to improve the instruction of faculty members. Thus far, however, participating in such programs has been largely voluntary for individuals even though a certain degree of participation is required to achieve practical effectiveness. In addition, the learning behaviors of faculty members are known to be influenced by organizational contexts such as a hidden curriculum. Therefore, this study explored the organizational characteristics of medical schools affecting attendance at faculty development programs.

METHODS

Forty medical schools in South Korea were included in this study. In total, 1,667 faculty members attended the faculty development programs at the National Teacher Training Center for Health Personnel between 2007 and 2015. For independent variables, information on the basic characteristics and the educational states was collected from all the medical schools. Themes were identified from their educational goals and objectives by inductive content analysis.

RESULTS

The number of nine-year cumulative attendees from medical schools ranged from 8 to 104. The basic characteristics of the medical schools had little influence on faculty development program attendance, while several themes in the educational goals and objectives, including "cooperation", "serving various societies", and "dealing with a changing future" showed a significant difference in participation. The number of full-time faculty showed a significant positive correlation when it was smaller than the median, and the proportion of alumni faculty showed a significant negative correlation when it was higher than 50%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds to existing knowledge on factors affecting attendance at faculty development programs by identifying related institutional factors that influence attendance. While the variations depending on the basic characteristics were minimal, the organizational environment surrounding medical education significantly contributed to attendance. Addressing institutional as well as individual factors could contribute to improving participation by faculty members in faculty development programs.

Transnational collaboration for faculty development in health professions education in Mongolia

PURPOSE

The Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences is the only national university in Mongolia and has produced more than 90% of health professionals in the country. Experts from Mongolia and Korea embarked on a collaborative effort to develop educational programs for faculty development based on the personal and professional needs of faculty members. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of those educational programs to determine whether this transnational collaboration was successful.

METHODS

A needs assessment survey was conducted among 325 faculty members. Based on the results of this survey, the joint expert team developed educational programs on seven core topics: clinical teaching, curriculum development, e-learning, item writing, medical research, organizational culture, and resident selection. Surveys evaluating the satisfaction and the attitudes of the participants were conducted for each program.

RESULTS

Throughout the 17-day program, 16 experts from Korea and 14 faculty members from Mongolia participated as instructors, and a total of 309 participants attended the program. The average satisfaction score was 7.15 out of 8.0, and the attitudes of the participants towards relevant competencies significantly improved after each educational program.

CONCLUSION

The faculty development programs that were developed and implemented as part of this transnational collaboration between Mongolia and Korea are expected to contribute to the further improvement of health professions education in Mongolia. Future studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of these educational programs.

Communities of teaching practice in the workplace: Evaluation of a faculty development programme

BACKGROUND

The focus of faculty development (FD) has recently shifted from individual and formal learning to formal and informal learning by a team of teachers in the workplace where the teaching is actually effected. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a faculty development programme on teachers' educational workplace environment.

METHODS

We invited 23 teachers, who had successfully completed a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) programme, to evaluate the faculty development programme and participate in focus group discussions. This UTQ programme spanned one year and covered 185 hours of formal and informal learning and training activities and formal coaching.

RESULTS

After having obtained their UTQ, teachers reported that coaching enhances reflection and feedback, to participate more frequently in educational networks, which enhances consultation among teachers, increased awareness of organizational educational policies and more confidence in fulfilling educational tasks and activities.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation of the UTQ programme demonstrated to enhance the development of a community of teachers at the workplace who share a passion for education and provide each other with support and feedback, which triggered a change in culture enhancing improvement of education. However, this did not hold for all teachers. Inhibiting factors hold sway, such as a prevailing commitment to research over education in some departments and a lack of interest in education by some department chairs.

Faculty Development on Clinical Teaching Skills: An Effective Model for the Busy Clinician

INTRODUCTION

The authors developed and evaluated a faculty development program on clinical teaching skills to address barriers to participation and to impact teaching behaviors.

METHODS

Four one-hour workshops were implemented over five months. Evaluation included participant satisfaction and pre/post self-assessment. Pre/post faculty teaching ratings by trainees were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 82% of faculty (N = 41) attended. Participants rated workshops highly (mean, 4.43/5.00). Self-assessment of skills and comfort with teaching activities improved. A total of 59% of residents and 40% of fellows felt that teaching received from participating faculty was highly effective. The majority observed targeted teaching behaviors by the faculty. Teaching ratings improved after the workshops (P = 0.042).

CONCLUSION

Our series of short workshops during a standing conference time was associated with increased self-assessed skill and comfort and an increase in faculty ratings on teaching evaluations. Effective faculty development programs can be implemented in flexible formats and overcome common barriers to participation.

How do postgraduate qualifications in medical education impact on health professionals?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The number of degree-awarding programmes in medical education is steadily increasing. Despite the popularity and extensive investment in these courses, there is little research into their impact. This study investigated the perceived impact of an internationally-renowned postgraduate programme in medical education on health professionals' development as educators.

METHODS

An online survey of the 2008-12 graduates from the Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee was carried out. Their self-reported shifts in various educational competencies and scholarship activities were analysed using non-parametric statistics. Qualitative data were also collected and analysed to add depth to the quantitative findings.

RESULTS

Of the 504 graduates who received the online questionnaire 224 responded. Participants reported that a qualification in medical education had significantly (p < 0.001) improved their professional educational practices and engagement in scholarly activities. Masters graduates reported greater impact compared to Certificate graduates on all items, including ability to facilitate curriculum reforms, and in assessment and feedback practices. Masters graduates also reported more engagement in scholarship activities, with significantly greater contributions to journals. These qualifications equally benefited all participants regardless of age. International graduates reported greater impact of the qualification than their UK counterparts.

CONCLUSION

A postgraduate medical education programme can significantly impact on the practices and behaviours of health professionals in education, improving self-efficacy and instilling an increased sense of belonging to the educational community.

Evaluation of an international faculty development program for developing countries in Asia: the Seoul Intensive Course for Medical Educators

BACKGROUND

The issue of collaboration in medical education is becoming prominent. Some faculty development programs have suggested an approach for promoting collaboration on a global level. However, non-English-speaking developing countries in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, do not take advantage of them due to their unique context, such as language and culture. To address these issues, Seoul National University College of Medicine initiated a 6-week international faculty development program called the "Seoul Intensive Course for Medical Educators" for 16 fellows from five Asian countries (Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Vietnam). The aim of this study is to report the evaluation results of the outcome of the program and discuss better ways of collaborating with developing countries.

METHODS

Three levels of collaboration-intraorganizational, intranational, and international-were central initiatives of the program. Prior to setting up the program details, we first established four design principles, following which the contents, materials, and facilitators were determined to maintain consistency with the design principles. The evaluation of the program was done with Kirkpatrick's four-level model. Most of the evaluation data for level 1 were collected by two questionnaires, the post-module survey and the post-program survey. Portfolios and progress reports were mainly used to collect outcome data for levels 2 and 3, respectively.

RESULTS

The reaction was generally positive throughout the program and there was a significant correlation between satisfaction and relevance to one's job or needs. Despite the fellows' propensity for overestimating themselves, both the evaluators and fellows reported that there was significant improvement in learning. Opinions on the impact or urgency of the topics were slightly different from country to country; however, the answers regarding feasibility were fairly similar. Moreover, we could observe from the post-program progress reports that the transfer of learning was actively in progress, mainly for topics that were highly feasible.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that the program was successful in terms of its effectiveness. Consistent and timely support is essential for the sustainable development of the medical education systems in these countries. Further understanding of the underlying factors on transfer (level 3) could improve the effectiveness of faculty development programs for developing countries.

A National Faculty Development Needs Assessment in Emergency Medicine

OBJECTIVES

Emergency physicians who work in academic settings enjoy an expanding number of roles beyond that of the skilled clinician. Faculty development (FD) encompasses the broad range of activities that institutions use to renew skill-sets and assist faculty members in these multiple roles. This study seeks to define the current FD needs and interests of Canadian academic emergency physicians (AEPs).

METHODS

An online survey was administered to 943 AEPs in eight centers across Canada to determine their current FD activities, provide a detailed understanding of their FD needs and interests, elucidate the perceived barriers to and motivation for engaging in FD, and identify preferred methods of delivery for FD activities.

RESULTS

This national, cross-sectional survey was completed by 336 respondents. It shows that need for FD is universally high, particularly in traditional domains of scholarship, leadership and education (79%, 80%, 87% overall interest, respectively). However, the study also suggests that there is increasing need for FD in areas where current participation is lowest, namely research and social accountability (12% and 13% more interest, respectively). Senior and junior faculty evince equivalent overall FD interest (p>0.05), whereas female AEPs expressed greater overall FD needs in leadership (1.82 vs 1.44 activities, p=0.003) than males. Continued participation in FD activities is best promoted by offering relevant topics, at convenient times and locations.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reports the first comprehensive national FD needs assessment of Canadian academic emergency physicians.

Twelve tips for curriculum renewal

BACKGROUND

Curriculum development in the health sciences usually entails a lengthy, in-depth review of most or all aspects of the curriculum. The review usually leads to the generation of a detailed report that is submitted to the Dean or executive committee of the faculty. Much has been written about the process of curriculum development but very little has been written about the important processes of curriculum renewal and revision.

AIMS

Health sciences curricula, including those that are newly developed, will benefit from timely periodic revision. The revision process with subsequent diligent curriculum monitoring is called curriculum renewal. In this article, we articulate twelve tips on how to assure dynamic, ongoing curriculum renewal. The overall goal of the renewal should be to assure timely, evidence-based curriculum responsiveness to changes in practice, health care, student needs and educational approaches based on quality research.

METHODS

We searched the health care education literature for articles related to curriculum development, seeking credible evidence on, and recommendations for, best practices for ongoing renewal of developed curricula.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The health sciences literature is replete with recommendations to guide suggestions for curriculum development; however, there are few credible research-based guidelines to inform dynamic curriculum renewal. Given the rapid development of research-based knowledge in health sciences education practices, there is a need to diligently monitor the ongoing successes and failures of a developed curriculum with a view to instituting large or small timely changes to assure timely curriculum renewal.

Do anaesthetists believe their teaching is evidence-based?

BACKGROUND

Knowledge translation (KT) and evidence-based practice are widely referenced in clinical medicine, with parallel calls for clinical teaching to better reflect best educational practice. How clinical teachers use medical education theory and evidence is largely unknown.

AIMS

To explore anaesthetists' attitudes to clinical teaching and medical education theory and evidence: whether they use it, what sources they access and attitudes to possible barriers to its use.

METHODS

Data were collected from anaesthetists via on-line questionnaire.

RESULTS

364 anaesthetists (19% response rate) completed the questionnaire. Respondents preferentially approach colleagues and access short courses or workshops to improve their teaching. Twenty-eight percent reported consciously using medical education theory or evidence often or regularly, with 24% having never done so; 52% have never accessed any medical education article; and only 21% have read an article from a medical education journal. Lack of available time due to clinical commitments was the major barrier identified to greater use of medical education evidence and theory.

CONCLUSION

A "knowledge-practice gap" does appear to exist in anaesthesia teaching in spite of the improved medical education evidence base. KT methodology may provide a guide to improving clinician engagement with medical education.

Success of a Faculty Development Program for Teachers at the Mayo Clinic

BACKGROUND

There has been limited research on the improvement of underperforming clinical teachers.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether a faculty development program could improve the evaluations of clinical teachers in an internal medicine residency program.

METHODS

A total of 123 teachers completed faculty development at the Mayo Clinic from 2009 to 2012. The faculty enhancement and education development program (FEED) consists of 6 interactive, small group, 2-hour sessions taught by experienced Mayo Clinic faculty over 1 year. These sessions address the following competencies: asking questions, diagnosing learners, giving feedback, using teaching frameworks, recognizing learning styles, and providing clinical supervision. Resident-of-faculty Mayo teaching effectiveness (MTE) scores have previously demonstrated content, internal structure, and criterion validity. Teachers were grouped into the top 80% or the bottom 20%, according to baseline MTE scores. Mixed linear models were used to compare these groups regarding changes in MTE scores after completion of FEED. Results were adjusted for teacher age, sex, medical specialty, academic rank, and teaching awards.

RESULTS

For all participants combined, the adjusted MTE scores (mean; standard error) improved from baseline (3.80; 0.04) to completion of FEED (3.93; 0.04; P < .001). However, the bottom 20% had a significantly greater improvement in scores than the top 80% (score-change difference  =  0.166, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

We describe a low-intensity faculty development intervention that benefited all clinical teachers, but was particularly effective for underperforming teachers in internal medicine. The approach may be suitable for adoption or adaptation in other graduate medical education programs.

Faculty development initiatives to advance research literacy and evidence-based practice at CAM academic institutions

OBJECTIVES

To present the varied approaches of 9 complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) institutions (all grantees of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) used to develop faculty expertise in research literacy and evidence-based practice (EBP) in order to integrate these concepts into CAM curricula.

DESIGN

A survey to elicit information on the faculty development initiatives was administered via e-mail to the 9 program directors. All 9 completed the survey, and 8 grantees provided narrative summaries of faculty training outcomes.

RESULTS

The grantees found the following strategies for implementing their programs most useful: assess needs, develop and adopt research literacy and EBP competencies, target early adopters and change leaders, employ best practices in teaching and education, provide meaningful incentives, capitalize on resources provided by grant partners, provide external training opportunities, and garner support from institutional leadership. Instructional approaches varied considerably across grantees. The most common were workshops, online resources, in-person short courses, and in-depth seminar series developed by the grantees. Many also sent faculty to intensive multiday extramural training programs. Program evaluation included measuring participation rates and satisfaction and the integration of research literacy and EBP learning objectives throughout the academic curricula. Most grantees measured longitudinal changes in beliefs, attitudes, opinions, and competencies with repeated faculty surveys.

CONCLUSIONS

A common need across all 9 CAM grantee institutions was foundational training for faculty in research literacy and EBP. Therefore, each grantee institution developed and implemented a faculty development program. In developing the framework for their programs, grantees used strategies that were viewed critical for success, including making them multifaceted and unique to their specific institutional needs. These strategies, in conjunction with the grantees' instructional approaches, can be of practical use in other CAM and non-CAM academic environments considering the introduction of research literacy and EBP competencies into their curricula.

Twelve tips for providing effective student support in undergraduate medical education

Medical students often require high levels of specialised institutional and personal support to facilitate success. Contributory factors may include personality type, course pressures and financial hardship. Drawing from research literature and the authors' experience, 12 tips are listed under five subheadings: policy and systems; people and resources; students; delivering support; limits of support. The 12 tips provide guidance to organisations and individual providers that encourages implementation of good practice and helps them better visualise their role within the system. By following the tips, medical schools can make more effective provisions for the expected, diverse and sometimes specialist needs of their students. Schools must take a proactive, anticipatory approach to provide appropriately for their entire student body. This ensures that students receive the best quality support, are more likely to succeed and are adequately prepared for their medical careers.

Online learning for faculty development: a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

With the growing presence of computers and Internet technologies in personal and professional lives, it seems prudent to consider how online learning has been and could be harnessed to promote faculty development.

AIMS

Discuss advantages and disadvantages of online faculty development, synthesize what is known from studies involving health professions faculty members, and identify next steps for practice and future research.

METHOD

We searched MEDLINE for studies describing online instruction for developing teaching, leadership, and research skills among health professions faculty, and synthesized these in a narrative review.

RESULTS

We found 20 articles describing online faculty development initiatives for health professionals, including seven quantitative comparative studies, four studies utilizing defined qualitative methods, and nine descriptive studies reporting anecdotal lessons learned. These programs addressed diverse topics including clinical teaching, educational assessment, business administration, financial planning, and research skills. Most studies enrolled geographically-distant learners located in different cities, provinces, or countries. Evidence suggests that online faculty development is at least comparable to traditional training, but learner engagement and participation is highly variable. It appears that success is more likely when the course addresses a relevant need, facilitates communication and social interaction, and provides time to complete course activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Although we identified several practical recommendations for success, the evidence base for online faculty development is sparse and insubstantial. Future research should include rigorous, programmatic, qualitative and quantitative investigations to understand the principles that govern faculty member engagement and success.

How do social networks and faculty development courses affect clinical supervisors' adoption of a medical education innovation? An exploratory study

PURPOSE

To examine the impact of social networks and a two-day faculty development course on clinical supervisors' adoption of an educational innovation.

METHOD

During 2007-2010, 571 residents and 613 clinical supervisors in four specialties in the Netherlands were invited to complete a Web-based questionnaire. Residents rated their clinical supervisors' adoption of an educational innovation, the use of structured and constructive (S&C) feedback. Clinical supervisors self-assessed their adoption of this innovation and rated their communication intensity with other clinical supervisors in their department. For each supervisor, a centrality score was calculated, representing the extent to which the supervisor was connected to departmental colleagues. The authors analyzed the effects of supervisor centrality and participation in a two-day Teach-the-Teacher course on the degree of innovation adoption using hierarchical linear modeling, adjusting for age, gender, and attitude toward the S&C feedback innovation.

RESULTS

Respondents included 370 (60%) supervisors and 357 (63%) residents. Although Teach-the-Teacher course participation (n=172; 46.5%) was significantly related to supervisors' self-assessments of adoption (P=.001), it had no effect on residents' assessments of supervisors' adoption (P=.371). Supervisor centrality was significantly related to innovation adoption in both residents' assessments (P=.023) and supervisors' self-assessments (P=.024).

CONCLUSIONS

A clinical supervisor's social network may be as important as faculty development course participation in determining whether the supervisor adopts an educational innovation. Faculty development initiatives should use faculty members' social networks to improve the adoption of educational innovations and help build and maintain communities of practice.

Perspectives on faculty development: aiming for 6/6 by 2020

Faculty development has a key role to play in individual and organizational development. This perspective on faculty development, which builds on the 2020 Vision of Faculty Development Across the Medical Education Continuum Conference and the First International Conference on Faculty Development in the Health Professions, describes six recommendations that we should consider as the field of faculty development moves forward: grounding faculty development in a theoretical framework; broadening the focus of faculty development to address the various roles that clinicians and basic scientists play; recognizing the role that faculty development can play in promoting curricular and organizational change; expanding our notion of how faculty members develop and moving beyond formal, structured activities to incorporate notions of work-based learning and communities of practice; making faculty development an expectation for all faculty members; and promoting scholarship in faculty development to ensure that research informs practice. Looking ahead, we should also consider strategies for leading change, collaborate across institutions and international borders, and work together to share lessons learned in research and practice.

Faculty development as transformation: lessons learned from a process-oriented program

BACKGROUND

Faculty development programs tend to be oriented around content, yet many have produced positive outcomes unrelated to the content. We describe a faculty development program that utilized the processes of shared reading and guided reflection espoused by narrative medicine.

DESCRIPTION

To date, 25 preceptors in the Foundations of Clinical Medicine course have participated. The program consists of weekly seminars in which participants actively engage with text as a basis for conversation around content as well as teaching strategies.

EVALUATION

Using qualitative methods, we examined notes from seminars, in-depth interviews, and review of curricular documents; we used conceptual frameworks from education as interpretive lenses. Participants recognized both personal growth and transformation in relationships with each other, which created the opportunity, and the means, to address and reshape norms and teaching practices at the institution.

CONCLUSIONS

Process-oriented faculty development programs may foster growth of individuals, contribute to transformation in relationships, and ultimately influence teaching practices.