Purpose
To explore the design, implementation, and efficacy of a faculty development
program in a cohort of early-career junior faculty.
Method
Interested junior faculty members were divided into interdisciplinary small
groups led by senior faculty facilitators. The groups met monthly for 1.5 hours to
review a modular curriculum from 2011 to 2013. Using a survey at two time points
(September 2011 and May 2013) and an interim program evaluation, the authors collected data
on participants’ demographics, faculty interconnectedness, and self-reported
knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) in the domains of professional development and
scholarship, including the ability to write career goals and align activities with those
goals.
Results
A total of 104 junior faculty participated in the program. They demonstrated
changes in self-reported KSA in the domains of professional development
(P = .013, P = .001) and scholarship
(P = .038, P = .015) with an
increase in ability to write career goals (P < .001), align
activities with those goals (P < .001), and in the number of and
amount of time spent pursuing activities related to those goals (P
= .022). These changes were more significant among female faculty and were not
affected by academic rank or time since last training. Interconnectedness among faculty
increased during the period of study--the number of nodes and ties between nodes within
the network increased.
Conclusions
This facilitated peer mentoring program for junior faculty was effective in
improving the KSA necessary to promote early career advancement and peer networking,
especially for women.
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