[Evaluation of a faculty development program in curriculum development for program directors of medical specialties]

Few medical teaching institutions provide faculty development in curriculum development to program directors of medical specialties (PD), despite the increased demand for renewal of residency programs and the evaluation of outcomes.

To describe and evaluate a training program in curriculum development for PD developed in 2008 and 2009.

Thirty PD attended an on campus course of fifteen hours. Evaluation was done using Kirkpatrick model through an end-of-course questionnaire, a retrospective pre/post self-assessment test of skills, the assessment of learning and the final projects developed by PD.

All PD finished the course and answered the questionnaire. In level 1 (Reaction), 100% reported high satisfaction and would recommend it highly to others, with perceived mean achievement of course objectives of 81%. In level 2 (Learning), all the differences between the retrospective pre and posttest were statistically significant (p < 0.01), and achievement of learning was in average 82.9%. In level 3 (Behavior), 100% felt they would apply what was learnt and 17 PD (57%) sent projects.

This model of faculty development was highly accepted by PD and had a positive evaluation based in high satisfaction, the improvement in pre/posttest assessment, the achievement of learning objectives and the development of projects.