Faculty members' evaluations of sabbaticals

Seventy medical school faculty members at seven institutions who had taken a sabbatical leave were interviewed about their sabbatical experiences, and 15 who were eligible but had not taken a sabbatical were asked their reasons for abstaining. Nineteen of 35 medical schools solicited also provided information about sabbaticals. The sabbatical experience was viewed very favorably by 80 percent of the participants; and three out of four were judged by the authors of the present paper as having accomplished something substantial, such as writing research papers or books or reorganizing teaching programs, following the sabbaticals. Presabbatical planning was emphasized by the respondents as the key to a satisfying sabbatical. Postsabbatical depression was common but not severe. At the 19 responding schools, sabbaticals were taken by an average of less than one-sixth of the eligible faculty members. Faculty members who had not taken sabbaticals gave a variety of reasons for the modest level of participation. Responses of the faculty members who had taken sabbaticals indicated that most medical school administrations did not capitalize on the opportunity to make the results of sabbaticals of maximum value to their institutions.