Creating enduring change: demonstrating the long-term impact of a faculty development program in palliative care

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Palliative Care
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Continuing professional development requires enhanced educational and evaluation methods.
• Palliative care education and practice necessitate effective faculty development programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term impact of a palliative care faculty development program.
• To assess changes in teaching behaviors, clinical practices, and professional development among participants.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal self-report surveys administered from 2000 to 2005.
• Participants included 156 physician and nurse educators from North America and Europe.
• A two-week program featured on-site sessions and distance learning, focusing on learner-centered training.

Main Results:

• Significant increases reported in time spent in palliative care practice (47% at follow-up).
• Enhanced use of learner-centered teaching approaches and expanded palliative care topics taught.
• Improved clinical practices in psychosocial care and a high rate (90%) of initiative launches attributed to the program.

Conclusions:

• The educational model demonstrated enduring, measurable impact on physician and nurse educators' practices.
• Evidence supports the program's effectiveness in advancing palliative care education and professional development.