Bridging theory and practice in medical education: evaluating a faculty development masterclass using a...

Despite advances in medical education, translating educational theory into routine teaching practice remains challenging. Faculty development programs often demonstrate high participant satisfaction but limited evidence of behavior change. The Commitment-to-Change (CtC) framework offers a method for evaluating whether educational interventions lead to practice modification. This study evaluated whether a theory-informed faculty development masterclass grounded in cognitive science and instructional design principles could promote early implementation of evidence-based teaching strategies among medical educators.

We conducted a prospective, multi-stage evaluation of a two-session synchronous virtual faculty development masterclass delivered through the Society of Experimental and Clinical Anatomical Scientists of Nigeria (SECAN). Current and aspiring medical and allied health educators from multiple institutions were recruited through SECAN's professional networks using email and social media. Data were collected electronically using online surveys, including a pre-masterclass needs assessment, post-session knowledge and application readiness assessment with CtC elicitation, post-masterclass evaluation, and a four-week follow-up survey assessing implementation and sustainability intentions. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and qualitative responses were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Ninety-two participants completed the pre-masterclass survey, with 42 attending the sessions. Eighteen participants completed the knowledge and readiness assessment, achieving a mean score of 79.2%. All participants (100%) articulated at least one CtC statement. Fifteen participants completed the post-masterclass evaluation, with high overall ratings (mean 4.62/5) and a Net Promoter Score of + 93.3. At four weeks, 12 participants responded to follow-up; 75.0% reported attempting their committed teaching change, and 91.7% indicated plans to sustain or scale the change. Implementation was reported across large-group, small-group, laboratory, and online teaching settings, although contextual barriers including time constraints, limited resources, and institutional factors were commonly identified.

A brief, theory-informed faculty development masterclass incorporating structured application and CtC elicitation was associated with high levels of participant satisfaction, strong intention to change, and substantial early implementation of teaching strategies. These findings suggest that short-duration, theory-informed faculty development interventions incorporating structured application and CtC activities can facilitate the early translation of learning science principles into teaching practice, even in resource-variable settings. Future work should examine long-term sustainability and institutional factors influencing adoption.