Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
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Comparative Study
Creating a Cadre of Fellowship-Trained Medical Educators: A Qualitative Study of Faculty Development Program Leaders' Perspectives and Advice.
Well-trained educators fill essential roles across the medical education continuum. Some medical schools offer programs for existing faculty to enhance teaching and scholarship. No standard postgraduate training model exists for residency graduates to attain competency as faculty members before their first academic appointment. The objective of this study is to inform the development of postgraduate medical education fellowships by exploring perceptions of educational leaders who direct well-established faculty development programs. ⋯ Medical education fellowships cultivate leaders and communities of trained educators but require participants to balance faculty responsibilities with professional development. Advice of current directors can inform the development of postgraduate programs modeled after accredited clinical specialty fellowships. Programs with the support of strategic partners, financial stability, and well-defined goals may allow new faculty to begin their careers with existing competency in medical education skills.
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Medical education academies play an important role in the recognition and career advancement of educators. However, hospital-based clinical faculty have unique professional development needs that may not be met by medical-school-based academies. ⋯ A hospital-based academy provides opportunities for interprofessional faculty development. Next steps include increasing interprofessional membership, wider dissemination of members' successes, better integration with the hospital's mission, specifically regarding graduate medical education and patient safety, and additional evaluation of the academy's impact on project completion and members' accomplishments.