The Junior Faculty Laboratory: an innovative model of peer mentoring

Mentoring in academic medicine has been shown to contribute to the success of junior faculty, resulting in increased productivity, career satisfaction, and opportunities for networking. Although traditional dyadic mentoring, involving one senior faculty member and one junior protégé, is the dominant model for mentoring in the academic environment, there is increasing recognition that the sharing of knowledge, skills, and experiences among peers may also contribute to the career development of junior faculty. The authors describe the structure, activities, and outcomes of the Junior Faculty Laboratory (JFL), a self-organized, flexible, and dynamic peer-mentoring model within the Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. As an innovative mentoring model, JFL is entirely peer driven, and its activities are determined by the real-time needs of members. In contrast to some other peer-mentoring models, JFL lacks senior faculty input or a structured curriculum, members are multidisciplinary, meeting times are project driven rather than preset, and participation in collaborative projects is optional based on the interests and needs of group members. Additionally, JFL was not formed as a substitute for, but as a complement to, the dyadic mentoring relationships enjoyed by its members. The model, now in its fifth year, has demonstrated success and sustainability. The authors present the JFL as an innovative, mentoring model that can be reproduced by other junior faculty seeking to foster collegial relationships with peers while simultaneously enhancing their career development.     

Improving the retention of underrepresented minority faculty in academic medicine

BACKGROUND: Although several studies have outlined the need for and benefits of diversity in academia, the number of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in academic health centers remains low, and minority faculty are primarily concentrated at the rank of assistant professor. In order to increase the diversity of the faculty of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, the UCSD National Center for Leadership in Academic Medicine, in collaboration with the UCSD Hispanic Center of Excellence, implemented a junior faculty development program designed in part to overcome the differential disadvantage of minority faculty and to increase the academic success rate of all faculty. METHODS: Junior faculty received counseling in career and research objectives; assistance with academic file preparation, introduction to the institutional culture; workshops on pedagogy and grant writing; and instrumental, proactive mentoring by senior faculty. RESULTS: After implementation of the program, the retention rate of URM junior faculty in the school of medicine increased from 58% to 80% and retention in academic medicine increased from 75% to 90%. CONCLUSION: A junior faculty development program that integrates professional skill development and focused academic career advising with instrumental mentoring is associated with an increase in the retention of URM faculty in a school of medicine.     

A conceptual model for faculty development in academic medicine: the underrepresented minority faculty experience

In May 2010, the Association of American Medical Colleges reported that nonwhite professors have a lower promotion rate than white professors. A cohort of 30 underrepresented minority (URM) junior faculty who participated in a structured faculty development program at a public, research-intensive, academic medical center were followed in a 10-year longitudinal study. This paper reports on the career status of 12 of the 30 URM faculty who were eligible for promotion during this period. Ninety-two percent (11/12) of URM faculty eligible for promotion were promoted to associate professor. When asked what factors contributed to their success, these URM faculty identified access and support of senior faculty mentors, peer networking, professional skill development, and knowledge of institutional culture. A faculty development program that addresses these components can promote the success of URM faculty in academic medicine.     

Mentoring program for minority faculty at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Research indicates that having a faculty mentor and being part of an active network of peers are critical ingredients of successful academic medicine careers. Minority physicians, however, often do not have mentors, and the problem is greatest for minority groups underrepresented in medicine. The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1994-1996 undertook to learn the extent of mentoring programs in its departments and divisions and to compare the experiences of underrepresented-minority faculty and others. The results were used to establish a system for mentoring and networking support for minority faculty members. Examining the reports of division and department heads on their formal mentoring programs, it was clear that these leaders considered a mentor essential for career development, but many reported having no systematic plan for mentors for junior faculty. In looking at the reported experiences of minority and non-minority assistant professors (matched for promotion track, department, appointment date, and, where possible, gender), it was found that approximately half of either group did not have mentors. As a result of this information, the school established a faculty development program to meet the faculty members' demonstrated needs: annual career development meetings with new minority faculty; assistance in identifying and assigning mentors; assistance in developing research skills; and monitoring of the retention of minority faculty. As experience with the program produces additional insights into the needs of minority faculty--and particularly of junior faculty--the program will be adjusted and expanded to meet these identified needs.     

Women's attitudes toward careers in academic medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

In order to identify the concerns and possible barriers for women considering careers in academic medicine, in 1990 the authors surveyed both men and women medical students, housestaff, postdoctoral students, and junior faculty at The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The authors achieved a 58% response rate from students and faculty, a 21% response rate from postdoctoral students, and a 15% response rate from housestaff. Results indicated that women at all levels were less interested in academic careers than were their male colleagues. Concerns about balancing family responsibilities, clinical practice, and teaching in addition to the research required of an academic career were mentioned most frequently. Women, especially those among the housestaff and junior faculty, reported fewer mentor relationships and role models. The authors discuss these findings in relation to other studies and describe what they are doing to foster women's interest and success in academic medicine at UCSF.     

Generation X: implications for faculty recruitment and development in academic health centers.

Differences and tensions between the Baby Boom generation (born 1945-1962) and Generation X (born 1963-1981) have profound implications for the future of academic medicine. By and large, department heads and senior faculty are Boomers; today's residents and junior faculty are Generation X'ers. Looking at these issues in terms of the generations involved offers insights into a number of faculty development challenges, including inadequate and inexpert mentoring, work-life conflicts, and low faculty morale. These insights suggest strategies for strengthening academic medicine's recruitment and retention of Generation X into faculty and leadership roles. These strategies include (1) improving career and academic advising by specific attention to mentoring "across differences"--for instance, broaching the subject of formative differences in background during the initial interaction; adopting a style that incorporates information-sharing with engagement in problem solving; offering frequent, frank feedback; and refraining from comparing today to the glories of yesterday; to support such improvements, medical schools should recognize and evaluate mentoring as a core academic responsibility; (2) retaining both valued women and men in academic careers by having departments add temporal flexibility and create and legitimize less-than-full-time appointments; and (3) providing trainees and junior faculty with ready access to educational sessions designed to turn their "intellectual capital" into "academic career capital."Given the trends discussed in this article, such supports and adaptations are indicated to assure that academic health centers maintain traditions of excellence.     

The POD: a new model for mentoring underrepresented minority faculty.

Mentoring, long recognized as a catalyst for successful careers, is particularly important to the career development of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty. In academic medicine, mentor-protégé relationships are seriously threatened by increased clinical, research, and administrative demands and an emphasis on scholarship over citizenship. New mentoring models are needed, and they should be adaptable to a medical school's unique structure and mission. The Peer-Onsite-Distance (POD) model, developed in 2002 by the authors and introduced at the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, is a targeted, multilevel mentoring prototype that is built on a solid research foundation and tailored to the unique needs of URM medical school faculty. The mentee's individual needs for guidance related to career goals, resources, and the content and interaction skills that are known to be critical to successful academic careers are targeted for development. The multilevel approach provides a unique network of peer and faculty mentors who provide site-specific career guidance. Also in the network are leaders in their fields who can provide access to accurate information, cautions, predictions, and announcements of future resources or potential restrictions in academic medicine. Mentor commitments are clearly defined and time contributions are maximized. The POD model aims to promote retention and advance the careers of URM faculty by wrapping them in a protective cushion of interpersonal and intrapersonal support. The flexibility of the design allows for adaptation to any institution's unique structure and mission.     

Bringing faculty development to community-based preceptors.

Community-based education of health profession students has increased dramatically, yet providing faculty development to a large, dispersed, and diverse population of community-based faculty is challenging. The authors describe lessons learned from 1997 to 2000 in developing, using, and disseminating a collection of preceptor development materials designed to be relevant to community-based faculty and easy to use. These activities were carried out by the Preceptor Development Program, which was developed by the Mountain Area Health Education Center of Asheville, North Carolina, which works with over 500 community preceptors of health profession students and medical residents. The program includes materials on nine core faculty development topics in a variety of formats: seminars, monographs, Web modules, and one-page summary "thumbnails." Faculty developers can download these free, customizable materials from the Web and are encouraged to adapt them for their own use.     

The advisory dean program: a personalized approach to academic and career advising for medical students.

Advising and mentoring programs for medical students vary in their official names, scope, and structures. Catalyzed by negative student feedback regarding career advising and a perceived disconnection between faculty and students, in academic year 2003-2004, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons implemented its formal Advisory Dean (AD) Program and disbanded its former advising system that used faculty volunteers. The AD Program has become a key element for enhancing the students' professional development throughout their student training, focusing on topics including, but not limited to, career counseling, professionalism, humanism, and wellness resources. Advisory deans and the dean for student affairs, familiar with resources for academic development, student support, and extracurricular activities, operate at the nexus of the program, providing personalized mentoring and advising for each student. Fully supported by administration and faculty, the program has shown early success according to student feedback. Early feedback from the Class of 2006, who had been involved in our AD Program for three years, has been encouraging. Out of 152 students, 104 (68%) provided feedback, with 93 (89%) of the respondents reporting the AD Program as a valuable initiative. Expecting to further improve on this early positive response, the AD Program will continue to foster an environment conducive to a seamless transition from student to physician.     

Clinical faculty tracks and academic success at the University of California Medical Schools.

PURPOSE: To describe the five faculty series for medical school faculty in the University of California (UC) system, their criteria for advancement, associated challenges, and the different ways they are used by each school. METHOD: During 2001-02, the associate dean for academic affairs at each UC medical school was interviewed for information on the number of faculty in each academic series, the role of each series, and problematic issues associated with them. The averaged merit and promotion results for each series for 1999-2002 at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, were examined. RESULTS: The two clinical faculty series showed the most variability among the UC campuses for number of faculty, and strategy for appointment and advancement. The percentage of faculty in the Clinical X series varied from 8% to 39% at the five campuses. All campuses agreed that faculty in the Clinical X series must participate in applied or translational clinical investigation or educational investigation, and disseminate their work. All campuses required that the Ladder-Rank and In-Residence faculty devote the majority of their time to hypothesis-driven research. At University of California, Davis, the two clinical series had the highest approval rates for merits and promotion actions. The Ladder-Rank series had the highest denial rate for merits and promotion. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical series in the UC system are used differently at the five medical schools. Appointing junior faculty in series with minimal expectations as a "safe starting place" is favored for building long-term faculty. Faculty in all series tend to do well in the academic review process, indicating that these series define distinct expectations. Clinical faculty's accomplishments are increasingly understood, valued, and rewarded.     

Fifteen years of aligning faculty development with primary care clinician-educator roles and academic advancement at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Starting in 1991, the Medical College of Wisconsin's (MCW) primary care-focused faculty development programs have continuously evolved in order to sustain tight alignment among faculty members' needs, institutional priorities, and academic reward structures. Informed by literature on the essential competencies associated with academic success and using educational methods demonstrated to achieve targeted objectives, MCW's initial 1.5-day per month comprehensive faculty development programs prepared faculty as clinician-researchers, leaders, and educators. As institutional priorities and faculty roles shifted, a half-day per month advanced education program was added, and the comprehensive faculty development program transitioned to its current half-day per month program. Using a modular approach, this program focuses exclusively on clinician-educator competencies in curriculum, teaching, leadership, evaluation, and learner assessment. Instructional methods combine interactive, face-to-face sessions modeling a range of instructional strategies with between-session assignments now supported through an e-learning platform. All participants complete a required project, which addresses a divisional or departmental need, meets standards associated with scholarship, and is submitted to a peer-reviewed forum. To date, over 115 faculty members have enrolled in MCW's faculty development programs. Program evaluation over the 15-year span has served to guide program revision and to provide clear evidence of program impact. A longitudinal evaluation of comprehensive program graduates from 1993 to 1999 showed that 88% of graduates' educational projects were implemented and sustained more than one year after program completion. Since 2001, each participant, on average, attributes more than two peer-reviewed presentations and one peer-reviewed publication to program participation. Based on 15 years of evaluation data, five tenets associated with program success are outlined.     

PhD faculty in clinical departments of U.S. medical schools, 1981-1999: their widening presence and roles in research.

PURPOSE: To analyze the growth, research activities, and academic status of PhD faculty in U. S. medical school clinical departments between 1981 and 1999. METHOD: Full-time U.S. medical school faculty who had PhDs and appointments in clinical departments in 1981 and 1999 and junior PhD faculty who became assistant professors between 1981 and 1990 were selected from the Faculty Roster System of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Their research activities and academic statuses were compared with those of MD or MD/PhD faculty in clinical departments or PhD faculty in basic science departments in the same years. RESULTS: The number of PhD faculty in clinical departments now exceeds the number of PhD faculty in basic science departments. PhD faculty in clinical departments come from diverse research backgrounds, contribute substantially to the research intensity of their institutions, and are more likely than their counterparts in basic science departments to become involved in research involving human participants or human tissues. PhD faculty in clinical departments are less likely than their counterparts in basic science departments, but are as likely as physicians in clinical departments, to be rewarded with academic promotion. They are less likely than their physician colleagues to be promoted in research-intensive departments such as departments of medicine and at top 20 research-intensive schools. CONCLUSIONS: The burgeoning career opportunities for PhD faculty in clinical departments should be reflected in the course work, mentorship, and potential thesis topics of PhD training programs. In lieu of tenure, research-intensive medical schools should develop alternative career tracks providing somewhat greater job stability for these faculty.     

A nationwide study of the influence of faculty development programs on colleague relationships.

PURPOSE: Academic colleague relationships (CRs) promote career development and professional advancement. Some primary care faculty development programs (FDPs) have begun to examine their influence on enrollees' colleague development. Using a nationwide sampling, the authors examined the effects of FDPs on the formation and benefits of enrollees' academic CRs. METHOD: The authors conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study in two phases, each relying on written questionnaires. In phase one, program details and enrollee rosters were provided by directors at FDPs funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, from 1994 through 1997. In phase two, family medicine physicians enrolled during these years provided feedback on their socialization skills and formation of relationships with career-supportive colleagues (mentors, peers, and academic consultants), as well as academic achievements and products these colleagues aid. RESULTS: Of the 52 directors, 37 (71%) provided FDP information and enrollee rosters. Of the 543 enrollees, 351 (65%) reported initiating or strengthening an average of nine CRs due to program participation: three peers, two mentors, one academic consultant, and three additional colleagues perceived available for future career support. Colleague gains were positively associated with academic socialization. Colleagues actively assisted with academic achievements and products, and provided links to networks of regional and national scholars. CONCLUSION: FDPs help enrollees build career-important relationships with peers, mentors, and academic consultants who enhance socialization skills and contribute to academic advancement.     

Programa de internado junior en la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de La Sabana,una experiencia en coterminalidad y flexibilidad curricular

Current education and training systems seek to train competent and comprehensive professionals; For the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad de la Sabana, it is essential that its graduates become general practitioners capable of performing effectively and efficiently in the world. This is why it has developed the Junior Internship Program as a co-terminal and flexible strategy for the Medicine curriculum. Allowing them to carry out elective rotations in the areas of their preference through the Junior Internship figure. This program is divided into two: the Junior Elite program and the Junior General program, for both programs it is necessary to meet the admission criteria.     

Pediatric faculty members' attitudes about part-time faculty positions and policies to support part-time faculty: a study at one medical center.

PURPOSE: To examine pediatric faculty members' attitudes about part-time faculty positions and policies to support part-time faculty. METHOD: In 2001, an anonymous 26-item questionnaire assessing attitudes about part-time faculty was mailed to all 441 faculty members of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Multivariable analyses were used to determine faculty characteristics associated with specific attitudes, and qualitative methods were used to analyze responses to an open-ended item assessing beliefs about facilitating part-time careers. RESULTS: Three hundred (68%) faculty members completed questionnaires. Twenty-nine (10%) worked part-time and an additional 88 (33%) had considered part-time work, primarily because of dependent children. Although 177 (59%) believed that part-time faculty were perceived as being less committed to their careers and the institution, 207 (69%) believed part-time faculty should be eligible for all academic tracks and 219 (73%) that they should be allowed extension of time to obtain tenure. Most reported that policy changes to support part-time faculty would enhance diversity (N = 234, 78%) and improve recruitment, retention, and promotion of female faculty. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that women and respondents with dependent children were more likely to be concerned about perceived commitment and more likely to endorse policies to support part-time faculty. Participants suggested that part-time careers for faculty would be facilitated by clarifying productivity expectations, expanding resources, and modifying existing policies. CONCLUSIONS: Although women and respondents with dependent children were concerned about perceived commitment of part-time faculty and were most supportive of policies that would support part-time faculty, pediatric faculty generally supported such policies.     

Using formal evaluation sessions for case-based faculty development during clinical clerkships.

Developing housestaff and faculty in their roles as medical educators is a dynamic process. The rigorous clinical evaluation method used during the third-year internal medicine clerkship at the Uniformed Services University uniquely incorporates faculty development into the process of evaluation and generating feedback for students. Formal evaluation sessions are held monthly at all clerkship sites throughout the 12-week clerkship and are moderated by either the internal medicine clerkship director or the on-site clerkship directors. Although designed to provide an opportunity for faculty to evaluate student performance and prepare formative feedback, the sessions also function as formal, planned, and longitudinal forums of "real-time," "case-based" faculty development that address professional, instructional, and leadership development. The evaluation sessions are used as a means to model and teach the key concepts of the Stanford Faculty Development Program. Providing a unifying form of evaluation across multiple teaching sites and settings makes formal evaluation sessions a powerful, state-of-the-art tool for faculty development.     

Obstacles to promotion? Values of women faculty about career success and recognition. Committee on the Status of Women and Minorities, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus.

PURPOSE: To assess attitudes of female faculty about career progress, resources for career development, and values related to academic success and recognition. METHOD: In 1997, the authors surveyed all faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and its associated Veterans Affairs Medical Center. RESULTS: Of 918 faculty, 567 (62%) responded to the survey; 33% of the respondents were women. Compared with men, women faculty were less likely to be tenured or at the level of professor, spent more time in clinical activities, had less time for scholarly activity, and reported slower career progress. Women were more likely to report that promotion and tenure criteria had not been reviewed with them. Significant differences were found between female physicians and non-physician faculty; female physicians reported the least time for scholarly activities and poorest understanding of promotion and tenure criteria. When the authors asked faculty how they valued certain indicators of career success, women were less likely to value leadership than were men. Female physicians were less likely to value scholarship and national recognition as indicators of their career success. CONCLUSION: This survey found important differences in career progress of male and female faculty, with women reporting less time for career development. In addition, there were differences in values related to career success and recognition, which were most pronounced for female physicians. These differences may have an important impact on promotion for women in general and particularly for female physicians.     

Bridging postdoctoral training and a faculty position: initial outcomes of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards in the Biomedical Siences.

PURPOSE: To describe the experiences of recipients of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund's Career Awards in the Biomedical Sciences Program (CABS) and highlight selected outcomes of the award's first set of graduates. METHOD: Since 1999, all active CABS recipients have been surveyed with the goal of assessing the program's implementation and the career progress of award recipients. Data were collected on multiple variables that are indicative of establishing an independent research career (e.g., time spent on research, external grant support, and scholarly publications), along with the views of individuals about the program and how the award had affected their careers. RESULTS: As evidenced by current employment and research funding, 77% of 1995-1999 grantees had been successful in securing tenure-track faculty positions in research-intensive institutions. Of those with faculty appointments, 78% had built research programs that attracted external support. In addition, 95% credited the award with facilitating their searches for faculty jobs, 70% believed that it had shortened the time required to obtain such positions, and 82% cited the award as enhancing their ability to attract research funds. They also perceived the award as allowing them to pursue research ideas that might have been considered as risky or premature by more traditional research sponsors. CONCLUSION: The CABS program has helped participants to launch careers as active and independent investigators. Grantees also credit it with allowing them to pursue research ideas that might otherwise have been considered impractical to support.