Viewing faculty development through an organizational lens: Sharing lessons learned

Abstract

Introduction

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?

Methods

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).

Results

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.

Conclusion

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.

Keywords:

• Best evidence medical education
• undergraduate
• postgraduate
• continuing
• teaching & learning
• staff development

Author contributions

DK, KKT, and KL conceived the preliminary idea and design of the research; KK and JH conducted the analyses presented in this manuscript. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript, read and approved the final paper. The corresponding author attests that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no others meeting the criteria have been omitted.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all participants who completed our survey as well as the reviewers of this article.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors are FD unit leaders and survey respondents.

Data availability statement

Portions of data (ensuring confidentiality of participants) can be made available upon request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Klodiana Kolomitro

Klodiana Kolomitro, PhD, is the director of education development with the Health Sciences Office of Professional Development and Educational Scholarship, and cross-appointed with the Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen’s University. Her scholarly interests focus on curriculum, wellness, and anatomical education.

Joanne Hamilton

Joanne Hamilton, RD, BHEc, EdD(c), is the Director of the Office of Educational and Faculty Development and Assistant Professor in the Max Rady College of Medicine at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. Her research interests focus on faculty development, curriculum, organizational change, and change leadership.

Karen Leslie

Karen Leslie, MD MEd is past Director of the Centre for Faculty Development, and a Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. Her scholarly interests focus on faculty development, career development and mentoring, and academic identity.

Lara Hazelton

Lara Hazelton, MD, is the director of academic faculty development for Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine and an associate professor within the Department of Psychiatry. She works in adult community mental health and her research interests are career and leader development, psychiatry education, and medical humanities.

Kiran Veerapen

Kiran Veerapen, PhD, is the Assistant Dean of Faculty Development at the Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia. Her research and leadership interests include participatory and inter-professional faculty development, supporting teachers in difficulty and programmatic assessment.

Kenna Kelly-Turner

Kenna Kelly-Turner, MA, is the manager of the Office of Faculty Development and Performance at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Her research interests and educational scholarship focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as leadership and teaching development.

David Keegan

David Keegan, MD, is the associate dean of Faculty Development and Performance and Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. His research and educational scholarship focus on collaborative educational platforms, faculty development, leadership development, and family medicine education.