Taking stock of what is known about faculty development in competency-based medical education: A scoping review paper

Abstract

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 scoping review methodology was employed. Inclusion criteria for article selection were established with two reviewers completing a full-text analysis. Quality checks were included, along with iterative consultation on data collection and consensus decision making via a grounded theory approach.

Results: The review identified 19 articles published between 2009 and 2018. Most articles (N = 15) offered suggestions as to what should happen with FD in CBME, but few (N = 4) adopted an experimental design. Six main themes were identified with three main features of FD noted across themes: (1) The importance of direct and timely feedback to faculty members on their teaching and assessment skills. (2) The role of establishing shared mental models for CBME curricula. (3) That FD is thought of longitudinally, not as a one-time bolus.

Conclusion: This work illustrates that there is limited, high quality research in FD for CBME. Future FD activities should consider employing a longitudinal and multi-modal program format that includes feedback for the faculty participants on their teaching and assessments skills, including the development of faculty coaching skills.

Keywords:

• Medicine
• general
• best evidence medical education
• general
• continuing

Acknowledgements

With thanks to Mr. Henry Lam, Health Sciences Librarian, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, for his assistance with the literature search. Thanks to the PGME Office of the University of Toronto for operational support for Dr. Glover Takahashi.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The primary author has been generously supported for this project through the Dr. Harrison Waddington Fellowship in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Notes on contributors

Giovanna Sirianni

Giovanna Sirianni, MD, CCFP(PC), FCFP, MScCH, is the Enhanced Skills Program Director at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty Development Lead for the Division of Palliative Care and Workplace-Based Assessment Lead at the University of Toronto MD Program. She holds the rank of Assistant Professor.

Susan Glover Takahashi

Susan Glover Takahashi, MA (Ed), PhD, is the Director of Education and Research for PostMD Education at the University of Toronto and an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and the School of Graduate Studies.

Jeff Myers

Jeff Myers, MD, MSEd, CCFP(PC), is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.