Low attendance by basic science educators at medical education meetings

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Basic Science Pedagogy

Background:

• Growing concern exists regarding the low attendance of basic science educators (BSE) at national and regional medical education meetings.
• This perception highlights a potential gap in engagement between basic science and clinical medical education communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors influencing basic science educators' decisions regarding attendance at medical education conferences.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for BSE participation in professional development events.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was developed and distributed to basic science course directors across 128 U.S. allopathic medical schools.
• Data were collected from a significant number of basic science educators to ensure representative findings.

Main Results:

• Survey responses from 486 basic science educators indicate that participation in medical education meetings is not a primary focus.
• The demands of securing research funding and achieving academic promotion were identified as major deterrents to attending such meetings.
• Prioritization of research activities over educational development activities was a common theme.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing basic science educator attendance at medical education meetings is achievable.
• A collaborative approach involving both the educators' home institutions and medical education organizations is necessary to foster greater participation.
• Strategies should address the systemic pressures faced by BSE to better align educational engagement with career advancement.