National Faculty Development Program Research Articles

Radical reform of the undergraduate medical education program in a developing country: the Egyptian experience

Medical educators are in a continuous quest to close the gap between the needs of medical practice and the rising expectations of the communities in their countries. During the past two decades, competency-based medical education has been evolving as an appealing strategy to close this gap. In 2017, the Egyptian medical education authorities mandated all medical schools to change their curricula to comply with revised national academic reference standards, which changed from outcome-based to competency-based. In parallel, they also changed the timeline of all medical programs for six years of studentship and one-year internship to five years and two years, respectively. This substantial reform involved the assessment of the existing situation, an awareness campaign for the proposed changes and an extensive national faculty development program. Monitoring the implementation of this substantial reform was performed through surveys, field visits and meetings with students, teaching staff and program directors. In addition to the expected challenges, the COVID-19-associated restrictions presented a significant further challenge during the implementation of this reform. This article presents the rationale for and steps of this reform, the challenges faced and how they were addressed.

SWOC-ANALYSIS OF CBME IMPLEMENTATION FOR PHASE II MBBS IN ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES OF EASTERN INDIA

Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) was introduced in medical education in India in the year 2019 with an aim of producing more competent and globally relevant doctors to the community. CBME is a learner driven process where faculty members play the role of facilitators only. Though CBME has its own advantages but implementing it across all the medical colleges in India has been a huge challenge. Curriculum Implementation Support Programs (CISP) were already introduced for the faculty members of rst and second professional MBBS in a phase wise manner by National Medical Commission (NMC) under the National Faculty Development Program (FDP) to orient the faculty members regarding the implementation of this new curriculum. Students of Phase II MBBS were exposed to this new curriculum for the rst time in the year 2021, an unavoidable delay caused by the pandemic situation. This study was conducted to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of this new curriculum from the perspectives of faculty members of Phase II M.B.B.S.

Challenges and opportunities in the implementation of competency-based medical education - A cross-sectional survey among medical faculty in India.

BACKGROUND:In India, competency-based medical education (CBME) is gaining foothold to transform the medical student into a doctor fulfilling community and societal needs. With that end in view the teaching faculty are getting sensitized and trained by the National Faculty Development Program (FDP). We aimed to assess the awareness about FDP among teaching faculty in medical colleges and study the attitude and perceived barriers to implementation of CBME.METHODOLOGY:A cross-sectional, electronically distributed, questionnaire-based study was conducted among medical faculty in India. The questionnaire identified participants’ awareness, attitude, and perceived barriers to CBME. Descriptive analysis was employed for continuous variables and internal comparison employing Chi-square test with α <0.05 for statistical significance.RESULTS:Among 251 participants 90.2% faculties from private institutes had undergone FDP as against 71% from Government sector (P = 0.008). We observed that 92.4% were aware, 80.2% had undergone Curriculum Implementation Support Program and 95.2% did agree that CBME will improve the medical education system. Major challenges perceived were high student to faculty ratio (67.7%), ill developed infrastructure (41.4%) and difficulties in assessment (41.1%). The popular solutions suggested were to increase faculty strength (73.7%), improve infrastructure (69.3%), extra remuneration (35.9%) and increase administrative support (30.7%). There was significant difference of opinions between teaching faculty of government and private sector (P = 0.017).CONCLUSION:Most of the medical faculty are aware of the need and have acquired a positive attitude towards enforcement of CBME. However, significant barriers do exist in the form of manpower and resources which need to be addressed.

Coaching educators: Impact of a novel national faculty development program for didactic presentation skills.

Didactic lectures remain common in medical education. Many faculty physicians do not receive formal training on public presentations or leading instructional sessions. Coaching has emerged in medical education with the potential to positively impact skills. We sought to evaluate a novel, national faculty peer-coaching program created to improve lecture presentation skills and foster career development. This was a mixed-methods study of participant and faculty perceptions after completing the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine Academy Coaching Program. Participants completed an online evaluative survey consisting of multiple choice and Likert-type items. Program coaches participated in semistructured interviews. Descriptive statistics were reported for survey data. Thematic qualitative analysis by two independent reviewers was performed on interview data. During 2012 to 2017, a total of 30 participants and 11 coaches from 37 residency programs across the United States engaged in the program. Twenty-four (80%) participants completed the survey. Eight (73%) coaches participated in semistructured interviews. Data were collected between October and December 2018. The mean± SD numbers of national presentations participants had given before and after the coaching program were 6.92±7.68 and 16.42±15.43, respectively. Since their coaching, most participants (87.5%) have been invited to give a lecture at another institution. Many participants felt that the program improved their lecture evaluations, public speaking, ability to engage an audience, and professional development. Almost all (92%) would recommend the program to a colleague. The coaches perceived multiple benefits including improved skills, self-reflection, networking, career advancement, and personal fulfillment. Suggestions for improvement included improved administrative processes, more clear expectations, increased marketing, and increased participant and coach engagement. Participants and coaches perceived multiple benefits from this novel, national faculty coaching program. With identification of the success, challenges, and suggestions for improvement, others may benefit as they develop coaching programs in medical education.

A national faculty development program combining webinars with workplace-based peer practice for clinical supervisors

Quality clinical supervision in the workplace is critical for the education of health professionals. Access to professional development that promotes enhanced supervisory practice in the workplace ...

Integrating Graduates of a National Faculty Development Program Into a Community of Practice

PurposeThe Educational Scholars Program (ESP) started as a national 3-year faculty development (FD) program for pediatric educators. Fourteen years later, the ESP has grown into a larger community of practice (CoP). The purpose of this study was to identify programmatic processes that serve as bridges or barriers to integrating ESP graduates into the CoP. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was sent to 126 ESP graduates. Based on their self-reported level of engagement, graduates were categorized into 4 groups: Core, Active, Peripheral, and Outsider groups. Factors contributing to engagement with the ESP community, and the impact of varying levels of engagement on outcomes related to the organization and the graduate were ascertained. ResultsHalf of the ESP graduates completed the survey. Thirty-five percent of the respondents were in the Core or Active groups. Almost all ESP graduates in the Core and Active groups felt a sense of belonging to the ESP community. Opportunities provided to network, collaborate, and receive mentorship were reported as highly significant influences on their decision to remain engaged. ConclusionPurposeful integration of graduates of an FD program within a CoP, by allowing varying levels of involvement, enhances engagement within the CoP.

Do pharmacology faculties welcome the new competency-based undergraduate curriculum? A nationwide questionnaire-based study

Background: In 2018, Medical Council of India (MCI) recommended competency-based medical education (CBME) for medical undergraduates. Aim and objective: A questionnaire-based study was conducted to assess the perceptions and preparedness of pharmacology faculties on CBME. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among pharmacology faculties selected on basis of any one or more of the following criteria: (1) Faculties who attended the national faculty development program conducted by MCI and (2) Members of Indian Society for Rational Pharmacotherapeutics. The questionnaire was made available through Google doc online platform which was e-mailed/WhatsApp to selected participants. It included questions related to components of the curriculum, namely, objectives, teaching–learning methods, and integration of disciplines. The responses received were analyzed in Microsoft Excel sheet using descriptive statistics. Results: Questionnaire was sent to 1424 participants out of which 144 (10.1%) responded. Majority (27.8%) had 6–10 years of postgraduate teaching experience. A total of 130 (90.3%) respondents were aware of CBME; sensitization workshops, continuing medical education (CME), etc., (41.5%) being most frequent source of information. Half of respondents (49.2%) were prepared to implement the curriculum, while 26 (20.0%) were not. The lack of training about CBME was the most cited reason for nonpreparedness. Majority (64.6%) of the respondents (84/130) considered horizontal and vertical integration to implement the new curriculum is feasible. However, most of them (70.8%) expressed reduction in teaching hours will be inadequate to complete pharmacology syllabus. On a scale of ten, the average rating of the respondents for new curriculum (6.83) did not show any statistical difference against old one (6.25). Conclusion: In our study, most of the participants welcome the new curriculum, although majority suggested need for training and guidance. To further understand the requirements, national organizations like MCI may conduct larger studies in the wide network of institutes.

The Impact of a National Faculty Development Program Embedded Within an Academic Professional Organization.

A sizeable literature describes the effectiveness of institution-based faculty development programs in nurturing faculty educators as scholars, but national programs are less common and seldom evaluated. To fill this role, the Educational Scholars Program (ESP) was created within the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) in 2006. It is a national, three-year, cohort-based certification program focused on fostering educational scholarship. This article describes the development and outcomes of an innovative program embedded within the framework of a national professional organization, and offers a model for potential adaptation by similar organizations to enhance their support of educators.After 10 years, 171 scholars have enrolled in the ESP, and 50 faculty have participated. Scholars are assigned a faculty advisor and participate in three full-day sessions at a national meeting; online, interactive learning modules; and a mentored, scholarly project. The program receives support from the APA in four organizational frames: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. The self-perceived scholarly proficiency of the scholars in Cohort 1 increased significantly over time, and their productivity and collaborations increased during and after the program. Scholars wrote enthusiastically about their experience in yearly and postprogram evaluations. In interviews, eight past APA presidents explained that the ESP strengthened the APA's mission, created new leaders, and provided a new model for other APA programs. Outcomes of the ESP suggest that a longitudinal faculty development program embedded within a national professional organization can create a social enterprise not only within the organization but also within the broader national community of educator-scholars.

National Faculty Development Program Shows Promise in Helping Clinicians Develop Clinical Teaching Skills

Many institutions struggle with how to best train faculty how to be effective clinical teachers. The Advancing Pediatric Educator eXcellence (APEX) Teaching Program was designed to bridge this gap.

Findings from a mixed-methods study of an interprofessional faculty development program

ABSTRACTForty faculty members from eight schools participated in a year-long National Faculty Development Program (NFDP) conducted in 2012–2013, aimed at developing faculty knowledge and skills for interprofessional education (IPE). The NFDP included two live conferences. Between conferences, faculty teams implemented self-selected IPE projects at their home institutions and participated in coaching and peer-support conference calls. This paper describes program outcomes. A mixed methods approach was adopted. Data were gathered through online surveys and semi-structured interviews. The study explored whether faculty were satisfied with the program, believed the program was effective in developing knowledge and skills in designing, implementing, and evaluating IPE, and planned to continue newly-implemented IPE and faculty development (FD). Peer support and networking were two of the greatest perceived benefits. Further, this multi-institutional program appears to have facilitated early organizational change by bringing greater contextual understanding to assumptions made at the local level that in turn could influence hidden curricula and networking. These findings may guide program planning for future FD to support IPE.

Supporting Medical Education Research Quality: The Association of American Medical Collegesʼ Medical Education Research Certificate Program

The quality of the medical education research (MER) reported in the literature has been frequently criticized. Numerous reasons have been provided for these shortcomings, including the level of research training and experience of many medical school faculty. The faculty development required to improve MER can take various forms. This article describes the Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) program, a national faculty development program that focuses exclusively on MER. Sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and led by a committee of established medical education researchers from across the United States, the MERC program is built on a set of 11 interactive workshops offered at various times and places across the United States. MERC participants can customize the program by selecting six workshops from this set to fulfill requirements for certification. This article describes the history, operations, current organization, and evaluation of the program. Key elements of the program's success include alignment of program content and focus with needs identified by prospective users, flexibility in program organization and logistics to fit participant schedules, an emphasis on practical application of MER principles in the context of the participants' activities and interests, consistency in program content and format to ensure standards of quality, and a sustainable financial model. The relationship between the national MERC program and local faculty development initiatives is also described. The success of the MERC program suggests that it may be a possible model for nationally disseminated faculty development programs in other domains.

Addressing the Health Needs of the Underserved: A National Faculty Development Program

The authors developed a three-week faculty development program, "Addressing the Health Needs of the Underserved" (funded by Title VII), and later incorporated a year long Fellowship in Underserved Medicine. This article describes these programs from 1999 to 2007, focusing on participants, curricula, outcomes, and potential impact.Participants (n = 107) in the three-week faculty development program came from 29 states and Puerto Rico, with more than 25% from underrepresented minorities in the health professions. The program focused on three skill sets: creating and sustaining community programs and partnerships; core faculty development/academic skills; and personal and professional renewal. Outcomes measured with follow-up surveys and interviews in 2003 revealed that since their participation, the first 53 participants to complete the program had created 30 new or modified residency curricula, 19 new student curricula, and 7 new student-run free clinic projects. Pre-post measures from 2003 to 2007 identified an overall 46% increase in skill confidence, with the greatest increase reported for designing a promotora (community lay health promoter) program. Participants expressed particular satisfaction with becoming part of a national community of scholars in the field of underserved medicine.For the year long, on-site Fellowship in Underserved Medicine, four of the first six fellows who completed the fellowship were former University of California-San Diego Student-Run Free Clinic Project student leaders who left San Diego to complete family medicine residency and returned to complete the fellowship. All six currently work with underserved communities as their primary focus, five in the United States and one internationally with Doctors Without Borders.This article is part of a theme issue of Academic Medicine on the Title VII health professions training programs.

Teaching the Psychosocial Aspects of Care in the Clinical Setting: Practical Recommendations

Communication skills and the psychosocial dimensions of patient care are increasingly taught in medical schools and generalist residency programs. Evidence suggests they are not reinforced or optimally implemented in clinical training. The authors present the product of an iterative process that was part of a national faculty development program and involved both experts and generalist teachers concerning teaching psychosocial medicine while precepting medical students and residents in clinical settings. Using scientific evidence, educational theory, and experience, the authors developed recommendations, presented them in workshops, and revised them based on input from other experts and teachers, who gave feedback and added suggestions. The results are practical, expert consensus recommendations for clinical preceptors on how to teach and reinforce learning in this area. General skills to use in preparing the trainee for improved psychosocial care are organized into the mnemonic "CAARE MORE": Connect personally with the trainee; Ask psychosocial questions and Assess the trainee's knowledge/attitudes/skills/behaviors; Role model desired attitudes/skills/behaviors; create a safe, supportive, enjoyable learning Environment; formulate specific Management strategies regarding psychosocial issues; Observe the trainee's affect and behavior; Reflect and provide feedback on doctor-patient and preceptor-trainee interactions; and provide Educational resources and best Evidence. The preceptor-trainee teaching skills that are recommended parallel good doctor-patient interaction skills. They can be used during both preceptor-trainee and preceptor-trainee-patient encounters. Important common psychosocial situations that need to be managed in patients include substance abuse, depression, anxiety, somatoform disorder, physical and sexual abuse, and posttraumatic stress disorder. For these problems, where high-level evidence exists, specific psychosocial questions for screening and case finding are provided.

Outcomes of a national faculty development program in teaching skills

Awareness of the need for ambulatory care teaching skills training for clinician-educators is increasing. A recent Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded national initiative trained 110 teams from U.S. teaching hospitals to implement local faculty development (FD) in teaching skills. To assess the rate of successful implementation of local FD initiatives by these teams. A prospective observational study followed the 110 teams for up to 24 months. Self-reported implementation, our outcome, was defined as the time from the training conference until the team reported that implementation of their FD project was completely accomplished. Factors associated with success were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The median follow-up was 18 months. Fifty-nine of the teams (54%) implemented their local FD project and subsequently trained over 1,400 faculty, of whom over 500 were community based. Teams that implemented their FD projects were more likely than those that did not to have the following attributes: met more frequently (P=.001), had less turnover (P=.01), had protected time (P=.01), rated their likelihood of success high (P=.03), had some project or institutional funding for FD (P=.03), and came from institutions with more than 75 department of medicine faculty (P=.03). The cost to the HRSA was $22,033 per successful team and $533 per faculty member trained. This national initiative was able to disseminate teaching skills training to large numbers of faculty at modest cost. Smaller teaching hospitals may have limited success without additional support or targeted funding.

Evaluation of a Medical Faculty Development Program

Pre- and postintervention self-assessments are commonly used to evaluate educational interventions. However, when training influences participants'criteria for their self-ratings (response shift), the validity of the traditional prefpost comparisons is suspect. We assessed the influence of this phenomenon in a national faculty development program for clinical teachers. We compared changes in traditional pre/post self-assessment ratings with changes in retrospective pre/post self-assessment ratings. Data included prelpost intervention faculty self-assessments and evaluations of faculty by housestaff and students. On dimensions addressed in the training program, retrospective pre/post comparisons revealed more significant changes in teaching performance and attitudes than traditional pre/post comparisons. Housestaff and student evaluations were more consistent with thefaculty 's retrospective pre/post than with traditional prelpost comparisons. We conclude that, compared to traditional prelpost self-assessment; retrospective pre/post ratings may provide a more sensitive and more valid measure of the effects offaculty development.