Faculty Development Advancements-Lessons Learned in a Time of Change.

Faculty development (FD) activities at colleges of medicine shifted to virtual in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic limited in-person engagement. Medical schools delivered quality virtual faculty development (VFD) through accessing national and international experts virtually, improving faculty access to FD through recorded sessions, collaborating across institutions, and building on previous success as comfort with virtual platforms grew. Disruptive innovation and Keller's ARCS model, highlighting motivational concepts of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, guided nine faculty developers' reflections towards continuous quality improvement of VFD offerings. The convenience and low-cost availability of virtual activities mean this format will likely persist.

Promoting Transfer of Learning to Practice in Online Continuing Professional Development.

ABSTRACT: Leveraging online learning tools and encouraging transfer of learning to practice remains a critical challenge to successful continuing professional development (CPD) offerings. Four sets of factors are essential to the transfer of learning from CPD into practice: learner characteristics, instructional design, content, and environment. Through incorporating elements of educational theories/frameworks into the planning of online CPD activities, educators can maximize opportunities for learning transfer. In this article, we highlight four educational theories/frameworks that provide useful insight to tackle these interrelated factors in online CPD: Self-Determination Theory considers the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of participants, which can be encouraged through flexibility, customization, and choices available in online formats. Practical Inquiry Model encourages intentionally planning and embedding opportunities for reflection and dialogue in online activities to enhance knowledge application. Virtual Communities of Practice can be used to transcend spatial and temporal boundaries, promoting interactions and relationships where participants learn from peers. Finally, Professional Learning Networks can be fostered through developing interpersonal connections and sharing resources for informal and flexible learning. Online CPD is likely to increase in the future, and educators should consider elements of these educational theories/frameworks in the design and delivery of CPD to support participants' application of newly acquired knowledge.

Combining Expertise: Reflecting on a Team Approach to Curriculum Development and Implementation.

INTRODUCTION: This article discussed curriculum development and implementation using a unique collaboration of basic scientists and clinicians functioning as course co-directors. It explores the pros, cons, and unintended consequences of this integrated approach through reflections of the faculty involved. METHODS: Ten faculty participated in semi-structured phone interviews to reflect on their experiences. RESULTS: Analysis of interview transcripts revealed four key themes: (1) the value of the basic scientist and clinician partnership, (2) strategies for coordination, (3) balancing responsibilities, and (4) hierarchy and power. DISCUSSION: This study identified that both basic scientists and clinicians experienced benefits from using a course co-director collaborative approach to curriculum development and implementation. While challenges are also noted, the benefits of the collaboration were evident in course organization, course evaluation reports, student feedback, and USMLE Step I pass rate.