Academic development in family practice

To date most faculty development programs in family practice have concentrated on aspects of the educational process as well as on the acquisition of research and administrative skills. While effective, such programs have characteristically been directed at a limited range of elements of a typical faculty member's professional role. A model of academic development is proposed that combines an epigenetic pattern of adult development and a sequential pattern of an individual's development in the academic role. The model permits a reasonable approximation to be made of the developmental status of an individual faculty member which, when viewed in the context of personal and institutional needs, can be used as the basis for defining and implementing appropriate assistance strategies. Adoption of the model offers two general approaches to planning, organizing, and delivering faculty development activities: promotion and intervention. Promotion activities are aimed at helping faculty assume the academic role in the most effective manner possible, while intervention activities occur when the process of development has gone awry.