A National Faculty Development Needs Assessment in Emergency Medicine

Abstract

Objectives: Emergency physicians who work in academic settings enjoy an expanding number of roles beyond that of the skilled clinician. Faculty development (FD) encompasses the broad range of activities that institutions use to renew skill-sets and assist faculty members in these multiple roles. This study seeks to define the current FD needs and interests of Canadian academic emergency physicians (AEPs). Methods: An online survey was administered to 943 AEPs in eight centers across Canada to determine their current FD activities, provide a detailed understanding of their FD needs and interests, elucidate the perceived barriers to and motivation for engaging in FD, and identify preferred methods of delivery for FD activities. Results: This national, cross-sectional survey was completed by 336 respondents. It shows that need for FD is universally high, particularly in traditional domains of scholarship, leadership and education (79%, 80%, 87% overall interest, respectively). However, the study also suggests that there is increasing need for FD in areas where current participation is lowest, namely research and social accountability (12% and 13% more interest, respectively). Senior and junior faculty evince equivalent overall FD interest (p > 0.05), whereas female AEPs expressed greater overall FD needs in leadership (1.82 vs 1.44 activities, p = 0.003) than males. Continued participation in FD activities is best promoted by offering relevant topics, at convenient times and locations. Conclusions: This study reports the first comprehensive national FD needs assessment of Canadian academic emergency physicians. Résultats: Au total, 336 participants ont répondu à l'enquête transversale, menée à l'échelle nationale. Les résultats ont révélé que les besoins de formation étaient grands partout, notamment dans les champs traditionnels de la mission professorale, de la direction et du pouvoir d'influence ainsi que de la formation (79 %, 80 % et 87 % respectivement, dans l'ensemble). Toutefois, l'étude semble également indiquer un besoin accru de FCP dans des champs où la participation est très faible, soit la recherche et la responsabilité sociale (augmentation de l'intérêt: 12 % et 13 % respectivement). Les membres du personnel, chevronnés comme débutants, ont fait état, dans l'ensemble, d'un intérêt comparable en matière de FCP (p > 0,05), tandis que les femmes MU qui enseignent en milieu universitaire ont exprimé, dans l'ensemble, des besoins plus grands de formation en matière de direction et de pouvoir d'influence que les hommes (activité: 1,82 contre 1,44; p = 0,003). Les activités de FCP qui suscitent le plus de participation, et ce, de manière continue, sont celles qui portent sur des sujets pertinents et qui se donnent au bon moment et au bon endroit. Conclusion: L'étude décrite ici fait état de la première évaluation globale, menée à l'échelle nationale, des besoins de formation des MU qui enseignent en milieu universitaire, au Canada.

Faculty Mentoring Practices in Academic Emergency Medicine

“…This implies that although mentoring is an expectation, many basic structures to support and cultivate mentorship may not be in place. These findings are similar to those of other studies on faculty mentoring, including those from EM, that have identified similar gaps in mentoring training, establishing expectations, and the evaluation process . This opens up opportunities for EM to learn from more robust programs.…”

“…Two studies surveying faculty in large academic medical centers that found clinician‐educators were significantly more likely to feel inadequately mentored than clinician‐scientists or research faculty at the same institution . The literature is replete with articles that underscore the heterogeneous nature of faculty work and the importance of tailoring the structure and intensity of the mentoring practices to the faculty group . For mentoring clinician educators, Reader et al .…”

Simulation in the Continuing Professional Development of Academic Emergency Physicians

“…Canadian EM has been at the forefront of the global movement toward increasing use of SBE at a postgraduate level 13 and, as such, is an excellent environment to study the use of SBCPD. The goal of this study was to characterize the following in Canadian EM: (1) the degree of AEP participation in simulation-based learning, (2) the level of interest of AEPs in SBCPD, (3) the desired content of AEPs for SBCPD, and (4) the barriers to AEP participation in SBCPD.…”

“…Si mulation is becoming a popular educational modality for physician continuing professional development (CPD), with demands for its increased utilization. 1,2 Studies of anesthesiologists, obstetricians, and internists have demonstrated the utility of simulation-based CPD (SBCPD) to improve decision making and test protocols. [3][4][5] Cook et al 6 similarly explored the outcomes of SBCPD, concluding that physician participation has a positive impact on knowledge, skills, and behaviors with a significant improvement in patient-related outcomes.…”

Faculty Sim: Implementation of an Innovative, Simulation‐based Continuing Professional Development Curriculum for Academic Emergency Physicians

“…R esuscitative care in the emergency department (ED) involves high-risk clinical encounters with critically ill patients who require a skilled team to deliver timely and effective care. The maintenance and enhancement of resuscitative competencies is challenging for emergency physicians (EPs) due to infrequent and unpredictable clinical exposure to high-stakes cases and rare procedures, lack of meaningful performance feedback or coaching opportunities, 1 and competing demands for continuing professional development (CPD). In other high-stakes industries, practitioners are expected to participate in regular training for the purposes of maintaining certification.…”