Practise what you teach: Lessons learnt by newly appointed lecturers in medical education

Abstract

Background. This article reports on research conducted on the orientation, support and continued development of lecturers in medical education, which took place at a South African (SA) university. Objectives. To provide insights that are relevant for faculty developers and senior leadership, and evidence for reconsidering approaches to faculty development initiatives for newly appointed lecturers. Methods. New lecturers’ experiences of a well-established orientation course were explored qualitatively using focus group interviews. Participants’ responses were transcribed and analysed thematically. Results. On entering the programme, participants generally reported having no or little prior teaching experience. Participants’ experiences revealed that an orientation structure is context sensitive and a centralised approach strengthened collegial relationships, but that decentralisation could be considered in medical education orientation. We found that education instruction that allows for active engagement between instructors and peers elicited positive responses. Furthermore, our approach to orientation cultivated a sense of accountability in new staff members to continue their participation in faculty development. Conclusions. The findings suggest that successful and up-to-date orientation initiatives are indispensable. However, more research should be done in our context and we recommend collaborating with other SA universities in future research endeavours.