It can be challenging to onboard new faculty and ensure they have the foundational skills and knowledge to be effective teachers. Faculty development is critical. Faculty with 5 years of experience or less identified these critical needs: teaching skills, developing scholarly activities, and career development.1
The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) has launched the Medical School Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program (MSFF), which provides distance learning in an online format, with interaction with a faculty instructor and real-life application of lessons.
“The Medical Student Faculty Fundamentals Course format allows faculty to access the information at their own pace and in the order that works best for them. If you’re looking for ways to engage faculty new to medical student education or what to brush up yourself, take advantage of this opportunity,” said Karly Pippitt, MD, MSFF faculty instructor. MSFF will cover fundamental topics such as the structure and requirements of medical student education; how to be an effective and efficient faculty member; the nuts and bolts of curriculum development and teaching; and strategies for assessment, feedback, and remediation of students.
The MSFF Certificate Program’s 14 self-led courses include readings, videos, interactive modules, quizzes, and assignments. Courses include:
Curriculum Development
Clinical Teaching Skills
Classroom Teaching
Assessment and Evaluation
Scholarly Activity
Giving Feedback
Medical Students in Difficulty
Writing for Publication
Advising Medical Students
Time Management
Incorporating Students Into Your Clinical Workflow
LCME and COCA Requirements
Academic Structure and Professional Advancement
Establishing Professional Boundaries
According to the best principles of instructional design, each course features clear, concise content; frequent quizzing; video interviews with stories; and advice from experienced faculty; and some assignments that receive feedback from a faculty instructor. The assignments are carefully designed to help a new faculty member learn more about the resources available to them at their own institutions.
Developed by the STFM Medical School Education Committee, STFM staff, and subject matter experts, the MSFF Certificate Program is intended to be completed over the course of an entire year, and each participant will earn 35 hours of CME credits.
To graduate from this national certificate program, participants must complete all courses and assignments and pass a final exam.
- © 2020 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.