Identification of training opportunities in medical education for academic faculty

Abstract

Introduction: Clinician-educators are responsible for providing education to trainees in medical centers. There is no clear overview of what opportunities exist for training clinician-educators in medical education related skills and techniques.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of multiple websites and a medical educator listserve to identify medical education training opportunities for clinician-educators. We included certificate level programs or programs with comparable recognition and excluded masters programs, programs specific to one medical specialty or institution, and brief modules/sessions. We categorized results by training/focus area(s) and program details relevant for faculty.

Results: We identified 53 programs. Most focus on general medical education skills (N = 19, 36%), leadership (N = 18, 34%), or learner assessment (N = 16, 30%). Fourteen programs (26%) were exclusively online, 27 (56%) exclusively in-person, and 12 (23%) require in-person and distance components. Time requirements for completion vary greatly, ranging from 1 day to 3 years, as did program costs, ranging from $327 to $15,000.

Conclusions: Although training programs in medical education for clinical faculty exist, most focus on general medical education, leadership, and assessment. More programs focused on other topics, such as simulation or educational research, may be needed. Future investigations to understand the needs of this population would be valuable.

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Camille Ivey, a librarian at the Eskind Biomedical Library who assisted with our search.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah Elizabeth Williams

Sarah Elizabeth Williams, MD, MPH: Dr. Williams is an Assistant Professor of General Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her clinical focus is in overseeing residents who care for primarily underserved children in the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic. Her research interests include vaccine safety, parental vaccine hesitancy, and resident education.

Charlene M. Dewey

Charlene Dewey, MD, M.Ed.: Dr. Dewey is the Assistant Dean for Educator Development, Director of the Educator Development Program, and co-director of the Center for Professional Health at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine/Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She has 25 years of experience in medical education and offers live and web-based professional development programs.