Expanding the Scope of Faculty Educator Development for Health Care Professionals

Abstract

Although many medical institutions offer faculty development in education, this does not provide the in-depth knowledge of the science of teaching required for medical education research and careers in medical education. This paper describes our expanding faculty development activities at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) that have culminated in the development and implementation of an innovative Online Master's Degree in Education program. Working in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati College of Education, CCHMC developed an Online Master's Degree in Education program targeting physicians and other health care professionals. The master’s program has proven to be an effective means of developing health care professionals’ educational pedagogy and skills as measured by program growth and outcomes of the participants. Medical institutions may approach faculty development through various methods, but the unique nature of online programs provides more flexible learning opportunities to nurture healthcare professionals beyond traditional programs.

Keywords

• Educator Development
• Web-based Distance Learning
• Master’s Degree in Education
• Medical Education