Program directors and department chairs have bemoaned the fact that they can’t fill open faculty positions. The shortage is projected to get even worse as the demand for family physicians increases due to the aging population, population growth, incentives for preventive care, and a growing number of insured Americans.1
STFM leadership has identified a number of challenges in recruiting and retaining a sufficient cohort of family medicine faculty:
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There’s a substantial salary differential between private practice and academic practice
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At many institutions, there’s a lack of support for faculty time; instead work hours are increasing and salaries are stagnating
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Residency graduates assume or have been told that they should go into private practice before becoming faculty
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Those moving from private practice to faculty may not have the teaching skills, scholarship skills, OB skills, etc. that are needed for teaching; fewer physicians in practice are doing the things that need to be taught
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There aren’t enough family physicians, so there’s not a big base to pull from
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Some residents don’t have good faculty role models
Faculty for Tomorrow
STFM is responding to this dearth of family medicine educators with a new initiative funded by the STFM Foundation. The 2-year initiative, called “Faculty for Tomorrow,” will:
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Expand STFM’s formal faculty recruiting efforts of residents
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Provide resources and training for new faculty, including those moving from private practice to family medicine education
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Identify and support young family physicians with leadership potential
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Ensure leaders of institutions understand the time and competencies required to be faculty
The Foundation will raise funds for the initiative, through donations from individuals and outside funders, through April of 2016. A task force will begin planning in summer/fall of 2015. The initiative will run through 2017.
Faculty for Tomorrow will provide a training opportunities to reach a broad group of residents and faculty. Deliverables will include:
Residents as Teachers Training
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Full-day preconference sessions at the 2016 & 2017 STFM Annual Spring Conference for residents interested in careers in academic family medicine
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Enhanced web content for residents on stfm.org and TeachingPhysician.org, including how and why to become faculty
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Development and dissemination of Residents as Teachers curriculum for use at individual residency programs, regional meetings, or AAFP chapter meetings
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A resident track of online modules on components of teaching
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“From residency to faculty” messaging/campaign/education
Resources and Training for New Faculty
Development of a virtual training track for new faculty that will include online modules and quarterly webinars/calls
Communication About What it Means and What it Takes to be Residency/Medical School Faculty
Dissemination of and advocacy for criteria for excellence in family medicine education. This includes the sharing of information—through articles, presentations, blog posts, etc.—on competence, time, and training required to be an excellent residency program and/or medical school. The intent is to help residency and medical school faculty get institutional support (program funding, salaries, and/or dedicated time) to effectively do their jobs and also achieve work/life balance. The communications would also encourage appropriate exposure to excellent and inspiring role models throughout the continuum of medical education and recommend systemic efforts to respond to the “hidden curriculum,” including bias and “trash talk” about specialty choice.
To learn more or make a donation, visit http://www.stfm.org/foundation.
- © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.
