Continuing competence: an institutional look at engagement, link, and faculty perceptions.

Area of Science:

• Allied Health Education
• Faculty Professional Development
• Continuing Competence

Background:

• Maintaining clinical competence is crucial for allied health faculty.
• Community college faculty face unique challenges in balancing clinical and academic roles.
• Action research provides a framework for faculty-led inquiry into professional practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how allied health faculty maintain clinical competence.
• To investigate the link between continuing competence activities and academic responsibilities.
• To ascertain the roles of institutions, programs, and faculty in ensuring competence.

Main Methods:

• Action research methodology involving faculty input and feedback.
• Qualitative description of faculty perceptions and practices.
• Analysis of the interplay between clinical maintenance and academic roles.

Main Results:

• Faculty maintain competence through continuing education, professional literature, and clinical work.
• A disconnect was identified between continuing competence activities and academic responsibilities.
• Perceived responsibility for competence increases towards faculty, while accountability rests with faculty and programs.

Conclusions:

• Allied health faculty actively engage in maintaining clinical competence through diverse methods.
• Academic institutions and programs should better integrate and support faculty's continuing competence efforts.
• Clearer delineation of roles and accountability is needed to bridge the gap between clinical and academic demands.