Beyond the Student Lens: Grounding Faculty Development in Self-Determination Theory during Curricular Change Led To...

Many medical schools are undergoing major curricular changes. During curricular changes, the needs, outcomes, and motivations of students are often carefully considered, while those of faculty are overlooked. Self-determination theory (SDT) identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as key to intrinsic motivation and well-being. During a major curricular reform, we explicitly designed a faculty facilitator role and a faculty development program, grounded in SDT, that considered faculty needs, motivations, and factors contributing to their well-being and burnout. The purpose of this study is to explore how this faculty experience influenced motivation and burnout during a case-based learning (CBL) curriculum launch.

Twenty-six physician educators at a large academic medical center were engaged to facilitate CBL sessions and attend weekly faculty development sessions. A Facilitator Growth Self-Assessment Survey was administered before the start of the new curriculum and after one semester of teaching, assessing facilitators' motivation and experience. A thematic analysis of the narrative responses was performed.

Response rates from facilitators were 100% (n = 26) and 92% for the two surveys. There were high rates of intrinsic motivation for teaching and growth, which were aligned with SDT domains. Facilitators reported growth in group facilitation skills and the ability to create safe learning environments. Twenty-one of 22 facilitators responded that their role had helped reduce their experience of burnout.

Faculty development and curricular redesign that is grounded in SDT and explicitly considers faculty's needs and motivations can help create a positive experience for faculty, which leads to sustainability and greater engagement.