Investing in the future: building an academic hospitalist faculty development program

Area of Science:

• Academic Medicine
• Faculty Development
• Hospital Medicine

Background:

• Academic hospital medicine (AHM) groups are expanding rapidly.
• New AHM faculty often lack essential skills beyond clinical medicine, such as in teaching, research, quality improvement, and leadership.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and implement a Faculty Development (FD) program.
• The program aimed to enhance knowledge, skills, attitudes, and scholarly productivity in first-year faculty.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive FD framework was established, targeting new faculty and engaging the entire Division of Hospital Medicine.
• Key components included dedicated coaching, a core curriculum, a teaching course, and structured scholarly activities.
• Divisional Grand Rounds, lunch seminars, and work-in-progress sessions were implemented for all faculty.

Main Results:

• FD program components received high ratings (4.5-4.83 out of 5).
• New faculty reported increased work satisfaction, greater skill confidence, and improved academic output compared to previous cohorts.
• The program successfully fostered faculty development and engagement.

Conclusions:

• Faculty Development programs are effective in nurturing new faculty.
• These programs enhance faculty satisfaction and cultivate a collective dedication to the academic mission.