Understanding role navigation among health professions educators: Insights from a global South context

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Higher Education Studies
• Workforce Development

Background:

• Health professions education (HPE) requires educators to prepare students for complex healthcare environments.
• Faculty development research often overlooks how educators manage their multiple roles (teacher, clinician, researcher).
• Understanding faculty role navigation is crucial for effective HPE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how health professions educators navigate their multiple roles.
• To investigate role negotiation across clinical, academic, research, and institutional contexts.
• To identify factors influencing faculty role integration in HPE.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory study at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
• Purposive sampling of 14 faculty members from six departments.
• Individual semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis using Braun and Clark's approach.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: negotiating role expectations, conceptualizing roles in evolving contexts, and aligning multi-role performance.
• Role navigation is influenced by differing valuations of teaching, research, and clinical service, particularly the undervaluation of teaching in South Africa.
• Educators engage in meaning-making, relationship-building, and boundary-spanning to align roles with mandates.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable role integration necessitates institutional support, embedded faculty development, mentorship, and communities of practice.
• Faculty development initiatives should be context-specific, reflective, collaborative, and responsive.
• Recognizing and supporting the multifaceted roles of health professions educators is essential for effective HPE.