Future faculty development in family medicine

Several recurring conclusions about the changed conditions and future needs of faculty emerged from the articles in this dedicated issue. Faculty work is becoming more differentiated; time is increasingly constrained; and faculty are working in more diverse settings. Faculty reward structures and career ladders are changing, and acquiring additional competencies in new areas is essential. Although less then anticipated, there is some research to guide the development of programs to prepare faculty for these changes. Based on these conclusions, it is expected that in the future, faculty and program chairs will seek a tight match between what a faculty development effort addresses and the responsibilities of faculty participants and/or the goals of the department or program. The following trends are expected: 1) Regional/national comprehensive programs will often be the best choice for new faculty since many departments and residencies will not have sufficient resources to support their own faculty development programs. 2) Research-oriented faculty will be expected to devote 2 years or more to formal training. 3) Experienced faculty and department/program leaders, many of whom are graduates of our faculty development programs, will need advanced training in targeted areas, through on-site, contextualized education or through individualized programs--perhaps electronic. 4) Organizational development will be needed to help departments and programs make changes in missions and processes and to maintain a sense of community. At the same time that new models must be created to meet these future faculty development needs, support for such programs has decreased. Both local and national sources must be recommitted to support faculty development programs and research so we may advance our understanding of cost-effective approaches to faculty development. Funding agencies need to change their guidelines to match the current needs for development and limit funding to programs designed on evidence.