Multigenerational challenges in academic medicine: UCDavis's responses

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Organizational Behavior
• Human Resources in Academia

Background:

• Academic medicine environments host regular interactions among four distinct generations.
• Multigenerational teams are crucial for fulfilling academic medicine's missions, especially in education.
• Differing generational values and expectations can foster creativity but also lead to intergenerational conflict.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe multigenerational challenges encountered at a school of medicine.
• To outline the institution's responses and solutions to these challenges.
• To identify strategies for optimizing multigenerational team effectiveness in academic medicine.

Main Methods:

• The study identified specific challenges related to work hours, workload, compensation, advancement evaluation, recruitment, retention, and meeting attendance.
• Institutional awareness of generational differences informed the development of targeted solutions.
• Solutions were planned and implemented within the Office of Academic Affairs.

Main Results:

• Policy changes addressing work-life balance were enacted.
• Multiple faculty tracks with varied roles and part-time appointments were introduced.
• Faculty development programs were created with flexible modules, diverse options, and alternative technologies to meet generational needs.
• Compensation plans and peer-reviewed awards were established to define appropriate rewards and incentives.

Conclusions:

• Awareness of generational dynamics enabled the identification and resolution of multigenerational issues.
• Implemented strategies mitigate conflict, promote diversity, and enhance the effectiveness and creativity of multigenerational teams.
• These efforts positively impact education, research, and clinical care within academic medicine.
• Ongoing evaluation will refine the institutional approach to managing multigenerational dynamics.