Your Career as a Medical Educator – Guidance for UTMB Faculty Michael Ainsworth, MD Professor, Internal Medicine Associate Dean, Regional Medical Education

Objectives To answer the most common faculty questions about medical education – –What are the opportunities to teach? – –How can I develop my skills in medical education? – –How can I prioritize time spent in medical education? – ? –How do medical education activities influence career advancement?

Hallmarks of “Good Teachers” Knowledge –Command of the current state of knowledge in their area Make knowledge accessible –Communicate effectively –Adapt to the needs of the audience –Convey a sense of genuine enthusiasm for both the subject matter and student mastery Able to evaluate their learners –Determine their own effectiveness

Why Do You Teach? Career goal –Want (expect) to be judged on education as a substantial part of your responsibilities –You should excel Personal satisfaction –Sense of pride; makes patient care more rewarding –You can excel You have no choice –Students and residents are around me and it is an expectation, not something I value –Responsible performance is expected, but you are unlikely to excel

Why Do You Teach? You have no choice –Students and residents are around me and it is an expectation –Responsible performance is expected, but you are unlikely to excel What are the opportunities to teach? How can I develop my skills in medical education? How can I prioritize time spent in medical education? ? How do medical education activities influence career advancement?

Prioritizing Time in Education Teach what is teachable –What does the course/program expect –What are you in a position to do/judge Interest in the learner and the patient –Learners know you are busy –Best role model is excellent clinical care Manage your time –One-minute preceptor, “wave” scheduling Engage the learner –Expect them to know their patients

Why Do You Teach? Personal satisfaction –Sense of pride; makes patient care more rewarding –You can excel What are the opportunities to teach? How can I develop my skills in medical education? How can I prioritize time spent in medical education? ? How do medical education activities influence career advancement?

Opportunities to Teach During direct patient care –Balance two roles –Self-contained Outside of direct patient care –Large-group (lectures) –Smaller group (case/problem-based learning) –Assessment exercises (standardized-patient exams) Other –Advising/mentoring –Clinical research What is your strength?

Developing Skills in Medical Education Lectures –Often part of a series - a few hours/year Workshops –Often dispersed - few half-days per year Courses –Some by specialty societies - a few days/year Programs –UTMB Scholars in Education - 3 hrs/month x 18 months plus a project –National programs - weeks to months Accommodates a range of needs

Why Do You Teach? Career goal –Want (expect) to be judged on education as a substantial part of your responsibilities –You should excel What are the opportunities to teach? How can I develop my skills in medical education? How can I prioritize time spent in medical education? ? How do medical education activities influence career advancement?

Assess Yourself and Your Environment Yourself –Ready to make education a priority? –Are you comfortable with authority/leadership? –What job skills do you need to succeed? Your environment –Are there opportunities to develop teaching skills? –Can you identify a mentor? –Can you negotiate a satisfactory time commitment? Just like research and patient care, you must be prepared to excel if you wish to succeed on the basis of educational effort

Medical Education as a Career Must coordinate with program’s expectations –What if your boss has other ideas? Has such a discussion taken place? Need a support system –Mentors can help you with goals, ideas, and skills Most faculty never establish such a person Need a way to document accomplishments –The CV of most faculty does not do this well Must communicate educational accomplishments

Medical Education Types of Activities Measures of Achievement Education Teaching, evaluating, mentoring Good: How much do you do Better: How well do you do it Scholarship Creation, dissemination Good: Local teaching materials Better: Presentation, publication Recognition Distinguished accomplishments Good: Learner evals Better: Teaching awards Leadership Engagement with others Good: Course directorship Better: Regional/national role Additional distinguishing accomplishments that can come later: Original educational research, manuscripts, and grants Lead - Develop - Create - Disseminate

Medical Education Question 5 Which of the following statements is TRUE: a. UTMB faculty on the tenure track make, on average, a higher salary than those on the non-tenure track b. Tenure represents a guarantee of employment, position, and salary c. Research is a necessary component of success on both the tenure and on-tenure tracks d. Both the tenure and non-tenure tracks place substantial emphasis on peer review of accomplishments

Medical Education Types of Activities Measures of Achievement Education Teaching, evaluating, mentoring Good: How much do you do Better: How well do you do it Scholarship Creation, dissemination Good: Local teaching materials Better: Presentation, publication Recognition Distinguished accomplishments Good: Learner evals Better: Teaching awards Leadership Engagement with others Good: Course directorship Better: Regional/national role Peer Review

Criticisms of Educational Peer Review Peer review is not necessary –Myth: I know how to teach –Fact: Few of us have any training in education Peer review is not possible –Myth: Good teaching is all about style –Fact: Several ways to measure effectiveness Peer review is too personal and intimidating –Myth: Too demeaning to critique a peer’s teaching –Fact: Accepted in research and patient care

How to Deal With Peer Review Peer Review of Examples Teaching and evaluation skills Peers observe, critique and counsel on lecturing, group facilitation, assessment, or feedback Office of Educational Development (OED) Academy of Master Teachers Teaching materials and scholarship Peers evaluate your original education materials or ideas OED, Med Ed Portal SGEA, RIME Specialty meetings Leadership skills Seek out projects and leadership roles Course directors Nat’l societies

Traits of Successful Medical Educators Maintained a dialogue with their boss Sought opportunities to advance their skills Sought and maintained a relationship with a mentor Created a portfolio Sought opportunities to demonstrate leadership Solicited peer review

Conceptual Thresholds for Advancement for Educators* Category To Associate Professor To Full Professor Teaching Activity 5 – 10 years plus peer review years plus peer review ScholarshipRegional presentations or publicationsNational publications RecognitionsLocal teaching awards Regional/Nat’l awards Teaching Academies Responsibilities Local projects or leadership Course director or national leadership *These represent guidelines for faculty on the non-tenure track, and are the views of Dr. Ainsworth, not a specific policy for advancement. Departments and promotion committees consider the qualifications of each candidate individually.

Success and Happiness as a Medical Educator Talk to your boss Take advantage of courses and workshops Find a mentor Start a portfolio Seek leadership roles Solicit peer review Realize some of this will be “on your own time”