Preparing for the Transition to Academic Practice: A Graduate Medical Education Elective.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Traditional Residents and Fellows as Educators (RFAE) programs often focus on single departments, posing sustainability challenges.
• Limited trainees or faculty in specific departments can hinder the effectiveness of single-department RFAE programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and value of a 2-week interdepartmental RFAE elective.
• To enhance advanced teaching skills and support the transition to practice for clinician educators.

Main Methods:

• A prospective intervention utilizing facilitated discussion, simulation, and peer presentations.
• Administered self-reported surveys (Conceptions of Learning and Teaching [COLT], skills, and attitudes) at baseline, immediate-post, and 3-month-post.
• Program evaluation through daily engagement surveys and end-of-course feedback.

Main Results:

• 79 participants from 2019-2023, primarily residents in final training years from pediatrics/medicine.
• Significant increase in COLT factor orientation to professional practice scores (P=.008).
• Positive changes in teaching skills attitudes observed at 3-month follow-up; professional development sessions were highly valued.

Conclusions:

• The interdepartmental RFAE elective is a feasible and well-received program.
• The program demonstrates sustained positive impact on participants' teaching skills and attitudes.
• This model supports career development for future clinician educators.