The Essential Value of Projects in Faculty Development

Abstract

Projects--planned activities with specific goals and outcomes--have been used in faculty development programs to enhance participant learning and development. Projects have been employed most extensively in programs designed to develop faculty as educators. The authors review the literature and report the results of their 2008 study of the impact of projects within the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Junior Faculty Development Program, a comprehensive faculty development program. Using a mixed-methods approach, the products of project work, the academic productivity of program graduates, and the impact of projects on career development were analyzed. Faculty who achieved the most progress on their projects reported the highest number of academic products related to their project and the highest number of overall academic achievements. Faculty perceived that their project had three major effects on their professional development: production of a tangible outcome, development of a career focus, and development of relationships with mentors and peers. On the basis of these findings and a review of the literature, the authors conclude that projects are an essential element of a faculty development program. Projects provide a foundation for future academic success by enabling junior faculty to develop and hone knowledge and skills, identify a career focus and gain recognition within their community, generate scholarship, allocate time to academic work, and establish supportive relationships and collaborative networks. A list of best practices to successfully incorporate projects within faculty development programs is provided.

A Multifaceted Mentoring Program for Junior Faculty in Academic Pediatrics

“…8 Completion of a specific project was the metric of success in a different program. 9 Although lack of mentoring is cited as an obstacle to retention, there remains a paucity of data demonstrating an improvement in retention in response to mentoring in academic medicine. 10,11 …”

“…In addition, the PMP mentor role was not viewed as a functional one with a specific project as an end point; it was anticipated that research mentors and division chiefs would fulfill that role. 9 We assessed the success of the program through reported satisfaction and retention data, both of which had limitations. Annual surveys were anonymous, precluding analysis of changes in satisfaction for individual mentees.…”

Application of Leadership Strategies Secondary to a Book Review

“…Based on the literature and program findings, the authors concluded projects are essential to faculty development and form the basis of future academic success. For junior faculty, these activities function to enhance knowledge and skills, help them achieve work-life balance by helping develop collaborative and supportive relationships, and often improve scholarly productivity (Gusic, Milner, Tisdell, Taylor, Quillen, & Thorndyke, 2010).…”

Project-based faculty development by international health professions educators: Practical strategies

“…The Fellowship curriculum centers around projects designed by Fellows to introduce change and improve existing practices in health professions education at their home institutions (Gusic et al 2010). Fellows apply practical skills, theories, and themes learned in the Institute curriculum (Leadership; Educational Methods; Project Management and Evaluation; Scholarship and Research) to their project.…”