‘Entering the world of academia is like starting a new life’: a trio of reflections from Health Professionals joining academia as second career academics

ABSTRACT

This research explored the experiences of three health professionals transitioning into academia as second-career academics (SCAs), with the aim of gaining insight into potential enablements and constraints for such career changers. The process of redefining identity from expert health professional to novice academic could occur through a three-stage process of transitioning. However, if SCAs experience an unsupportive or ‘care-less’ environment, such redefining may not occur. The paper attempts to illuminate the crucial role of educational developers in understanding and supporting SCAs when they ‘start a new life’ in academia.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational development
• health care professionals
• newly appointed academics
• second-career academics
• transitioning into academia

Acknowledgments

Our sincerest appreciation to the IJAD editors, the anonymous referees, Cecilia Jacobs, Vivienne Bozalek, Kasturi Behari-Leak, and Lynelle Govender for their invaluable feedback on various drafts.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicoline Herman

Nicoline Herman is deputy director at Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning. Her research interests are educational leadership and the professional learning of academics for teaching. She has been employed in educational development for more than 20 years and holds a PhD in the field.

Maria Jose

Maria Jose is a qualified medical doctor and public health specialist who consults for clinical trials, academia, and non-profit organisations. Her research interests relate to the application of choice modelling methods to healthcare labour market research. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine & Surgery with a Master’s degree in Public Health & Health Economics.

Misiwe Katiya

Misiwe Katiya is a senior lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She has 15 years of professional staff development experience and coordinates the induction programme for new lecturers. Misiwe holds a PhD in Linguistics. Her interests include mentoring, professional development, research into language acquisition, sociolinguistics, and second language teaching.

Merlisa Kemp

Merlisa Kemp is a Diagnostic Ultrasound lecturer with a PhD in Radiography. She is coordinator of the BSc Diagnostic Ultrasound programme at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Her research interests are peripheral and extracranial vascular ultrasound imaging and multiple sclerosis.

Natalie le Roux

Natalie le Roux is a Research Psychologist by training. She is currently the Manager: Research Support at the University of Cape Town’s Research Support Hub.

Claudia Swart-Jansen van Vuuren

Claudia Swart-Jansen van Vuuren is an educational advisor at Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning. She holds an MPhil in HE and was a lecturer for 14 years. Her research interest is in the professional learning of academics for teaching. Claudia previously convened the institutional induction programme for newly appointed academics.

Charmaine van der Merwe

Charmaine van der Merwe holds an MPhil in HE and is an educational advisor at Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning. She was a second-career academic herself when moving from being a critical care nurse into academia, and thereafter into educational development. Her research interest is in the professional development of educational developers.