Faculty development for teaching and evaluating professionalism: from programme design to curriculum change

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professionalism in Medicine

Background:

• Increasing emphasis on teaching and evaluating professionalism in medical education.
• Traditional role modeling is insufficient; explicit instruction and evaluation are necessary.
• Faculty often lack the skills to effectively teach and assess professionalism, necessitating faculty development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a faculty development program to enhance the teaching and evaluation of professionalism.
• To foster consensus and equip faculty with the knowledge and skills for professionalism education.

Main Methods:

• A systematic, integrated faculty development program was implemented.
• The program included think tanks for consensus building and workshops for content delivery and skill development.
• Faculty development activities focused on core content, teaching strategies, evaluation methods, and self-awareness.

Main Results:

• 152 faculty members participated in the development activities.
• Program outcomes included agreement on professionalism attributes, consensus on its importance, and self-reported changes in teaching practices.
• The initiative resulted in new evaluation methods, site-specific activities, and curriculum revisions.

Conclusions:

• Faculty development programs can effectively enhance the teaching and evaluation of professionalism.
• Such programs lead to self-reported improvements in teaching and practice, and stimulate new educational initiatives.
• Developing knowledgeable faculty can improve their effectiveness as role models for medical professionalism.