The HRSA-APA Faculty Development Scholars Program: executive leadership track

The work environment and characteristics and behaviors of leaders are key components to successful programs. Pediatric primary care education has suffered from a lack of effective leaders.

The Executive Leadership Track of the Health Services Resources Administration-Ambulatory Pediatrics Association (HRSA-APA) National Faculty Development Scholars Program was designed to develop a cadre of teaching faculty with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to lead primary care faculty development efforts in their home institutions, regions, and the nation.

Senior faculty from each APA region were selected to participate in a basic series of three 2-day leadership workshops. Three workshops addressed topics shown to be essential to development of productive work environments, 3 emphasized career development, and 3 addressed development of effective administrative skills. Participants were expected to give at least one workshop in their home institution or region every 6 months. Outcome measures included number of scholars successfully completing the program, number of workshops given by scholars, number of participants in scholars' workshops, indicators of professional growth, and indicators of changes in their work environment that support medical education and teaching.

Thirty-two scholars conducted 90 workshops attended by 1082 participants. Scholars reported professional accomplishment, including assuming positions of leadership and promotion. Changes to the scholar's work environment included increased emphasis on educational scholarship in promotion and tenure considerations, mission-based budgeting, and closer collaboration between academic and community faculty.

The program participants became effective leaders of and advocates for medical education.