The Family Medicine Curriculum Resource Project: implications for faculty development

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Faculty Development
• Curriculum Design

Background:

• The Family Medicine Curriculum Resource (FMCR) Project necessitates a review of faculty development strategies.
• Recommendations from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine's Faculty Futures Initiative (FFI) and the Future of Family Medicine (FFM) project inform these changes.
• The evolving practice environment requires updated approaches to medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore faculty development implications for implementing the Family Medicine Curriculum Resource (FMCR) Project.
• To analyze the shift in faculty development focus towards lifelong learning and competency-based education.
• To identify necessary skills for educators and preceptors in teaching and evaluating diverse competencies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of existing faculty development models and recommendations (FFI, FFM).
• Examination of the changing assumptions in faculty development, moving from knowledge transfer to competency acquisition.
• Focus on the importance of the clerkship setting and adapting to current practice environments.

Main Results:

• Faculty development must now emphasize teaching learners how to learn and master new competencies throughout their careers.
• The focus has shifted from mastering current knowledge to developing lifelong learning skills.
• Competence, encompassing knowledge, skills, and attitudes, is the central focus for curriculum development.

Conclusions:

• Faculty development needs to equip educators with skills to teach and evaluate cognitive, metacognitive, and affective competencies.
• Novel teaching methods and educational research are essential for effective faculty development in the new culture of medicine.
• The FMCR Project implementation requires a forward-thinking approach to faculty training, prioritizing adaptability and continuous learning.