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Introduction Programmatic assessment is an approach to assessment aimed at optimizing the learning and decision function of assessment. It involves a set of key principles and ground rules that are important for its design and implementation. However, despite its intuitive appeal, its implementation remains a challenge. The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the factors that affect the implementation process of programmatic assessment and how specific implementation challenges are managed across different programs. Methods An explanatory multiple case (collective) approach was used for this study. We identified 6 medical programs that had implemented programmatic assessment with variation regarding health profession disciplines, level of education and geographic location. We conducted interviews with a key faculty member from each of the programs and analyzed the data using inductive thematic analysis. Results We identified two major factors in managing the challenges and complexity of the implementation process: knowledge brokers and a strategic opportunistic approach. Knowledge brokers were the people who drove and designed the implementation process acting by translating evidence into practice allowing for real-time management of the complex processes of implementation. These knowledge brokers used a 'strategic opportunistic' or agile approach to recognize new opportunities, secure leadership support, adapt to the context and take advantage of the unexpected. Engaging in an overall curriculum reform process was a critical factor for a successful implementation of programmatic assessment. Discussion The study contributes to the understanding of the intricacies of implementation processes of programmatic assessment across different institutions. Managing opportunities, adaptive planning, awareness of context, were all critical aspects of thinking strategically and opportunistically in the implementation of programmatic assessment. Future research is needed to provide a more in-depth understanding of values and beliefs that underpin the assessment culture of an organization, and how such values may affect implementation.

INTRODUCTION: Health Systems Science (HSS) teaches students critical skills to navigate complex health systems, yet medical schools often find it difficult to integrate into their curriculum due to limited time and student disinterest. Co-developing content with students and teaching through appropriate experiential learning can improve student engagement in HSS coursework. METHODS: Medical students and faculty co-developed a patient outreach initiative during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and integrated that experience into a new experiential HSS elective beginning May 2020. Students called patients identified as high-risk for adverse health outcomes and followed a script to connect patients to healthcare and social services. Subsequently, this initiative was integrated into the required third-year primary care clerkship. RESULTS: A total of 255 students participated in HSS experiential learning through the elective and clerkship from May 2020 through July 2021. Students reached 3,212 patients, encountering a breadth of medical, social, and health systems issues; navigated the EMR; engaged interdisciplinary professionals; and proposed opportunities for health systems improvement. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This educational intervention demonstrated the opportunity to partner with student-led initiatives, coproducing meaningful educational experiences for the learners within the confines of a busy medical curriculum.

Coaching supports academic goals, professional development and wellbeing in medical education. Scant literature exists on training and assessing coaches and evaluating coaching programs. To begin filling this gap, we created a set of coach competencies for medical education using a modified Delphi approach.An expert team assembled, comprised of seven experts in the field of coaching. A modified Delphi approach was utilized to develop competencies.Fifteen competencies in five domains resulted: coaching process and structure, relational skills, coaching skills, coaching theories and models, and coach development.These competencies delineate essential features of a coach in medical education. Next steps include creating faculty development and assessment tools for coaching.

Ongoing leadership development is essential for academic health center faculty members to respond to increasing environmental complexity. At the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, an 8-month program, based on Conger's leadership development approach emphasizing conceptual understanding, skill building, feedback and personal growth was offered to mid-level faculty charged with developing educational programs, clinical services, and/or research initiatives. We studied how specific learning methods catering to different learning approaches contributed to improving leadership competencies.Session and program evaluations, participant interviews, mentor surveys, and supervisor interviews were used for data collection. Themes were identified through open coding with use of constant comparative methods to help find patterns in the data.Readings and classroom modules provided a broadened, holistic understanding of leadership; role plays and action plans helped participants apply and practice leadership skills; self-assessments and feedback from peers and mentors provided specifics for focusing development efforts; and personal growth exercises provided opportunities to reflect and consider fresh perspectives. Anchoring learning methods around a real-time project led to improved leadership competencies and personal confidence as reported by participants, supervisors and mentors.A faculty leadership development program that integrates understanding, skill building, feedback and personal growth and connects multiple learning methods can provide the synergy to facilitate behavior change and organizational growth.

Introduction: Advancement of careers in medical education remains a challenge around the world and is under-researched in resource-constrained contexts. Using the Theory of Practice Architectures (TPA) as a conceptual lens, we investigated the emergence and subsequent development of medical education careers in a resource-constrained country.Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 14 early-career and leading medical educators from all 9 medical schools and the 1 postgraduate institute in Sri Lanka. Thematic analysis was performed, informed by the three conceptual lenses of TPA: discursive-cultural, material-economic, and socio-political.Results: Three themes were identified: faculty development as a career-building discourse (discursive-cultural); leadership focused on creating a workforce with expertise in medical education, equal to clinical medicine specialties (material-economic); and collaborative professional networks in health professions education originating from faculty development activities (socio-political).Conclusion: Using TPA, our findings highlight that faculty development can foster a powerful discourse for promoting academic careers in medical education. Medical education leaders can also play a critical role by establishing formal training programmes in medical education, and collaborative professional networks can improve visibility of careers in medical education, particularly when participants share expertise and resources between institutions and health professions, across the continuum of undergraduate to postgraduate training. TPA can also be used to better understand how cultural, material-economic and socio-political factors can enhance or hinder career development in different contexts, whether resource-limited or well-resourced.

Medical education research focused on patient-centered outcomes holds the promise of improved decision-making by medical educators. In 2001, Prystowsky and Bordage demonstrated that patient-centered outcomes were evaluated in fewer than one percent of studies published in a survey of major medical education journals. Though many have called for increased inclusion of patient-centered outcomes in medical education literature, it remains uncertain to what degree this need has been addressed systematically.Using the same data sources as in the original report (Academic Medicine, Medical Education, and Teaching and Learning in Medicine), we sought to replicate Prystowsky and Bordage's study. We extracted data from original empirical research reports from these three journal sources for the years 2014-2016. We selected 652 articles that met the inclusion criteria for further analysis.Study participants were largely trainees (64% of studies) or faculty (25% of studies). Only 2% of studies included patients as active or passive participants. Study outcomes reported were satisfaction (40% of studies), performance (39%), professionalism (20%), and cost (1%).These results do not differ significantly from the original 2001 study. The medical education literature as represented in these three prominent journals has made little progress in placing a greater focus on patient-centered outcomes.

Faculty Development (FD) plays a key role in supporting education, especially during times of change. The effectiveness of FD often depends upon organizational factors, indicating a need for a deeper appreciation of the role of institutional context. How do organizational factors constrain or enhance the capacity of faculty developers to fulfil their mandates? Using survey research methodology, data from a survey of FD leaders at Canadian medical schools were analyzed using Bolman and Deal’s four frames: Symbolic, Political, Structural, and Human Resource (HR). In the Symbolic frame, FD leaders reported lack of identity as a FD unit, which was seen as a constraining factor. Within the Political frame, developing visibility was seen as an enhancing factor, though it did not always ensure being valued. In the Structural frame, expanding scope of practice was seen as an enhancing factor, though it could also be a constraining factor if not accompanied by increased resources. In the HR frame, a sense of instability due to changing leadership and uncertainty about human resources was seen as a constraining factor. While broadening the mandate of FD can generally be considered as positive, it is imperative that it is appropriately resourced and accompanied by recognition of FD as a valued contributor to the educational mission.

Understanding and supporting professional identity formation (PIF) among medical teachers has become increasingly important in faculty development programs. In this study, we explored medical teachers' PIF in Indonesia.We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using focus group discussions (FGDs) at four medical schools in Indonesia. Basic science and clinical teachers from four different schools were selected to participate. Data were transcribed, coded, and analysed to develop themes and subthemes.Seventeen FGDs were completed, involving 60 basic science and 59 clinical teachers. Four major themes regarding the formation of medical teachers' professional identity emerged: an internal dialogue between intrinsic values and external influences, empowerment through early socialization, experiential workplace learning, and envisioning the future. The PIF process was similar for basic science and clinical teachers.Our findings suggested that PIF among medical teachers in a non-Western setting is a continuous and dynamic process that is shaped by key socialization factors (e.g. role models, workplace learning, peer support), with significant influences from religious beliefs, family values, and societal recognition. Faculty development programs should consider the dynamic and continuous nature of PIF among medical teachers and encourage clinicians and basic scientists to explore their values and beliefs, realize their goals, and envision their future.

Telemedicine is now an established mode of clinical care for most medical specialties, and clinical teachers must teach and precept learners in this modality. However, faculty need training on how best to teach students when caring for patients via telemedicine. Effectively incorporating learners into telemedicine visits to optimize their education is a critical skill for clinical teachers. In this article, we review 12 practical tips unique to telemedicine to engage and educate undergraduate medical education learners in building their clinical skills. We outline synchronous and asynchronous elements before, during, and after the patient encounter to facilitate teaching while improving patient care. These principles can also be adapted for teaching in other health professions as well as postgraduate medical education.

Leaders in academic medicine have observed that ‘the goal of faculty development is to provide faculty members with the skills relevant to their institutional setting and faculty position, and to s...

When students attend clinical attachments in diverse locations, a key challenge is in ensuring consistently good teaching over all areas. To meet this challenge, a faculty development intervention called TiMEtoTeach was created with the aim of reaching all involved in teaching medical students. The programme takes a holistic view of workplace (professional clinical attachments) learning with the recognition of all who are part of the student learning journey, including staff in clinical environments, charitable organisations, fellow students and the patients and carers. Empowering and upskilling this diverse group, we create a Universal Faculty. We engage this group with a comprehensive and accessible faculty development programme, enabling a consistent, authentic, and realistic learning experience for students. This supports graduate preparedness for their roles as junior doctors. The twelve tips described in this article relate to simple, achievable processes that faculty developers within medical education can apply to help improve consistency and quality in clinical workplace experience for students, recognising the challenges of engaging the large and diverse group of people who support education within the clinical arena.

Introduction: Teachers’ conceptions of learning and teaching (COLT) affect their teaching behaviour. The 18 item COLT instrument has been developed in the Netherlands and comprises three scales, ‘teacher centredness’, ‘appreciation of active learning’ and ‘orientation to professional practice’. Previously we found five teacher profiles. The aim of this study was to find out if the COLT instrument can be used in an international setting. Methods: Data were collected with the web-based COLT. Cronbach’s alphas of the three COLT scales were calculated. Subsequently a cluster analysis was conducted to identify different teacher profiles, followed by a split half validation procedure. Results: Respondents (n = 708) worked in 28 countries. Cronbach’s alphas were 0.67, 0.54, and 0.66. A six-cluster solution fitted best, based on meaning and explained variance. The sixth teacher profile scored high on ‘teacher centredness’, average on ‘appreciation of active learning’ and low on ‘orientation to professional practice’. The split half validation resulted in a Cohen’s kappa of 0.744. Discussion: Cronbach’s alphas indicated acceptable reliablities for all three subscales. The new, sixth profile was labelled ‘neo-transmitter’. Conclusion: We found evidence supporting the validity of the use of COLT in an international context and identified a new, sixth teacher profile.

The Master Adaptive Learner (MAL) theoretical framework describes an integrated approach to learning that combines features of educational theory on self-regulated learning and aspects of quality improvement. In order to develop MAL students, it is important to pay attention to the learning environment.To describe educators' perspectives about theThematic analysis of reports by medical educators who were workshop participants at a national presentation on creating effective learning environment to develop MAL in undergraduate medical education.Three themes educators considered important in the development of the Master Adaptive Learner were Adaptive Educator, Support for Learning, and Institutional Commitment. These findings suggest that in order to support the MAL, an educational setting should provide faculty who can be flexible and adapt to the developing MAL, learning experiences that support active learning, focused on groups as well as developing individual learners. Leaders in the educational setting should demonstrate a commitment to creating a culture to support learning and provide appropriate resources to that end.Learning environments to develop master adaptive learners need to have adaptive educators, teaching, learning, and institutional culture to support challenge and grow Master Adaptive Learners.

Purpose: The primary objective was to inventory what is currently known about faculty development (FD) for competency-based medical educations (CBME) and identify gaps in the literature.Methods: A ...

Introduction: In an ever-changing academic environment, the traditional model of one senior mentor is no longer sufficient to provide faculty with the interdisciplinary perspective needed for succe...

Medical school curricula require regular updating. We adopted an activity theory lens to conduct a holistic, multiple stakeholder-informed analysis of curricular reform, aiming to understand how the social relations between groups contribute to unanticipated tensions and outcomes.A research assistant conducted semi-structured interviews with purposively sampled (Participants reported unique (While finding contradictions was expected, our analysis profiled their nature and some of the specific tensions they raised across and within stakeholder groups. The activity theory lens provided an accessible way to unravel curricular reform into manageable units of analysis. Systematically identifying contradictions arising from curricular reform will help stakeholders collaborate with a shared purpose toward positive, sustained change.

INTRODUCTION: Inclusive educational leaders promote teacher team functioning. To support leader inclusiveness, we designed and implemented a faculty development programme focusing on leader identity formation. We investigated (1) how participants' leader identity developed throughout the programme and (2) how the design principles contributed to this process, according to participants.METHODS: A design-based research approach was followed. Participants were 7 course coordinators, leading an interdisciplinary teacher team. To study leader identity development, participants repeatedly filled out a validated questionnaire. To investigate how design principles contributed, observational field notes, facilitator debriefings, a programme evaluation questionnaire and a semi-structured focus group were used. Thematic analysis was applied for qualitative data.RESULTS: Participants gained broader views on leadership, moving from individual dominance towards engaging team members. Most participants initially experienced a deconstruction of their former leader identity and became motivated to improve leadership qualities. Competence-building, reflecting and receiving feedback on workplace experiences, and practicing in a safe environment were perceived to be key for identity development.CONCLUSIONS: We developed and evaluated a leader identity programme which can convert teachers' classic leadership views towards views incorporating social interactions and relationships. We demonstrated how social interactions provide opportunities to learn from pe.ers in the work environment.

Dear EditorI read with interest the article by Blasco et al. (2021). As a penultimate-year medical student, I welcome and benefit from research into novel teaching strategies in medical education. ...

Italy is a country of 60 million citizens with a high life expectancy, an increasing prevalence of chronic multi-morbidity and a public healthcare system. There are 61 medical schools and more than one thousand postgraduate programs for 50 different specialisations. In this article, we describe the Italian medical educational system and its most recent evolution towards a process of internationalization, alongside pedagogical and cultural changes. The main challenges are in the process of students' selection, which is still only based on the assessment of basic knowledge, and in the reform of the post-graduate education, which lacks an official, formal definition of the learning outcomes and the aligned methods of assessment. The opportunities come from the increasing awareness of the importance of faculty development programs. The pandemic itself acted as a catalyst of innovation, pushing toward more student-centered teaching-learning activities. Finally, an increase in international collaborations in medical education research could be effective to foster the development of medical education in the country.

One of the imperatives in experiential learning is finding the dynamic ice breaker that creates a congenial, collegial atmosphere and segues into a resonant learning experience. No matter the topic or issue to be investigated, the ice breaker signals and ultimately confirms for the learner whether (1) they will be heard and supported by the faculty leads, (2) there is an overarching, relevant purpose to the exercise, (3) they are in a supportive, comfortable environment and (4) they have ultimately made the right choice in choosing the session.

Faculty development (FD) supports health professions educators to develop knowledge, skills, and expertise. Whilst formal FD is a focus in the health professions education (HPE) literature, little is known about how FD occurs informally. We sought to identify opportunities and constraints for informal FD amongst health professions educators in the academic (university) setting and understand how they engage with these opportunities.This exploratory study was conducted in one Australian university. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with undergraduate and postgraduate teachers and assessors (teachers) (We identified three everyday educational practices that provide opportunities for informal FD in the academic setting: (1) applying evidence to; (2) evaluating; and (3) sharing, educational practice. Engaging with these opportunities was shaped by individuals' motivation and proactivity to engage in professional learning (effectivities) and organisational culture and structures (constraints).Applying evidence to, evaluating, and sharing educational practice provide valuable contexts for ongoing learning in the academic setting. Assisting educators and organisations to recognise and leverage these 'in situ' FD opportunities is vital in fostering a continuous learning culture.

Despite the importance of evidence-based medical education, navigating the complexity of its implementation can be frustrating. Faculty development that engages and supports medical educators in Design-Based Research is one promising approach to respond to this challenge. An essential aspect of this process is to expand faculty's Zone of Generativity and thus foster their individual and collective capabilities to navigate the complexity of implementing evidence-based medical education.

Introduction: Faculty development has played a significant role in health professions education over the last 40 years. The goal of this perspective is to present a portrait of faculty development ...

Background: Socially-accountable health professional education (SAHPE) is committed to achieving health equity through training health-workers to meet local health needs and serve disadvantaged populations. This research assesses the biomedical and socially-accountable competencies and work-readiness of first year graduates from socially-accountable medical schools in Australia, the United States and Sudan.Method: A self-administered survey to hospital and community health facility staff closely associated with the training and/or supervision of first year medical graduates from three SAHPE medical schools.Main outcome measure: Likert scale ratings of key competencies of SAHPE graduates (as a group) employed as first-year doctors, compared to first year doctors from other medical schools in that country (as a group).Findings: Supervisors rated medical graduates from the 3 SAHPE schools highly for socially-accountable competencies ('communication skills', 'teamwork', 'professionalism', 'work-readiness', 'commitment to practise in rural communities', 'commitment to practise with underserved ethnic and cultural populations'), as well as 'overall performance' and 'overall clinical skills'.Interpretation: These findings suggest SAHPE medical graduates are well regarded by their immediate hospital supervisors, and SAHPE can produce a medical workforce as competent as from more traditional medical schools, but with greater commitment to health equity, working with underserved populations, and addressing local health needs.

Introduction: Student participation has shown positive effects on the curriculum development process for a single health profession. This qualitative study explores faculty members’ and stu...

Faculty Development (FD) often focuses on acquiring and enhancing teaching skills. Typical FD programming consists of scheduled events such as workshops, bootcamps, and other opportunities that aim...

Faculty members at a Canadian medical school coach small groups of students to support their professional development through goal setting and guided reflection about clinical experiences. These gr...

BACKGROUND: The Student Curriculum Review Team (SCRT) was founded at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM) in 2012 to refine pre-clinical courses. Since then, SCRT has provided a voice for student feedback—offering forums for discussion through ‘Town Hall meetings’ and confidential avenues for peer-to-peer comments. Here, we assess the perceived efficacy and utility of SCRT among the student body and faculty course directors. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 2019 using an anonymous survey distributed to second- (MS2) and third-year (MS3) medical students as well as faculty course directors at JHUSOM. RESULTS: A total of 113 student surveys and 13 faculty surveys were returned. The majority of students (97%) endorsed SCRT as effective in enabling them to express their concerns. Most faculty (69%) reported SCRT’s impact on their respective course as positive and found SCRT suggestions to be “realistic and actionable”. Students (84%) and faculty (62%) alike considered SCRT to meet needs not met by other curricular organizations at JHUSOM. CONCLUSION: Students and faculty find that SCRT satisfies an unfilled position in the landscape of curricular feedback at JHUSOM. This study may be beneficial for other academic institutions considering ways to better engage students in curricular reform.

Evidence strongly supports simulation-based learning activities as an effective instructional intervention. The debriefing session associated with a simulation event is one of, if not the critical, learning component within the learning activity. Because of its importance, the debriefing portion of a simulation should demand as much planning and forethought as the rest of the event; however, it is often overlooked in the planning process. These twelve steps will help guide faculty who are planning simulation-based learning activities to ensure that their debriefing sessions are effective and successful learning opportunities.

Restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have required medical educators to reimagine almost every aspect of undergraduate medical training, including curriculum delivery and assessments in a short timeline. In this personal view article, executive members of the University of Toronto medical student government and Faculty leads of pre-clerkship and clerkship education highlight five practical ways in which a student-Faculty partnership enabled the rapid and smooth adaptation of curricula during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included involving students as partners in decision making to contribute learner perspectives early, agile and collaborative meeting structures, frequent and consistent communication with the student body, providing learners with Faculty perspectives from the frontlines, and striking a balance in the level of feedback collected from students. These strategies may be of utility to medical administrators, educators, and student leaders in future crises affecting medical learners.