Academy: strengthening the educational mission in academic health centers

A dental school in the modern academic health center often finds that its traditional mission of educating dentists has become more complex as a result of the increased emphasis placed on research and patient care. Although health care education clearly benefits from a rich environment including research and patient care, faculty often find themselves conflicted about their roles in the complex mix of activities in the health center. In order to support faculty in their educational activities, several schools have formed organizational structures with the specific purpose of providing financial and developmental assistance. This article describes a model for an organizational structure within the Harvard School of Dental Medicine designed to promote educational excellence and then describes two academies dedicated to promoting teaching quality at Harvard Medical School and at the University of California at San Francisco.