title: Exploring professional development needs of educators in the health sciences professions.
abstract: An increasing number of institutions of higher education are clustering their health sciences schools into a common unit. Therefore, it is imperative that the individual faculty development units assume new mandates to meet faculty development needs for stakeholders across these disciplines. Critical to providing current and relevant professional development activities is an awareness of the needs of academicians, including common as well as discipline-specific needs. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore the extent to which factors such as discipline, rank, gender, education, and years as an academician impact on perceived needs for faculty development. In February 2012, a cross-sectional survey of the perceived faculty development needs of academicians in the health sciences unit of a Canadian university was conducted using an online assessment tool. A total of 133 out of 1,409 potential participants completed the survey, for a response rate of 9.4%. The findings revealed more similarities than differences in terms of perceived faculty development needs. In addition, differences were found across all health professions schools and in factors such as discipline, academic rank, education, gender, and years as an academician. These findings suggest that faculty development and educational specialists should understand the shared as well as the unique needs of the individual health sciences schools in planning their professional development services.
authors: Dr. Schönwetter is Director of Educational Resources and Faculty Development, College of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; Ms. Hamilton is Director of Educational Development, Medical Education, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; and Dr. Sawatzky is Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, College of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. schonwet@cc.umanitoba.ca.
authors: Dieter J
authors: DJ
authors: Schönwetter
authors: Dr. Schönwetter is Director of Educational Resources and Faculty Development, College of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; Ms. Hamilton is Director of Educational Development, Medical Education, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; and Dr. Sawatzky is Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, College of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba.
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Hamilton
authors: Dr. Schönwetter is Director of Educational Resources and Faculty Development, College of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; Ms. Hamilton is Director of Educational Development, Medical Education, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba; and Dr. Sawatzky is Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, College of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba.
authors: Jo-Ann V
authors: JA
authors: Sawatzky
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000193:education; D002322:Career Mobility; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D004522:Educational Status; D005178:Faculty; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000193:education; D012737:Sex Factors; D013192:Staff Development; D013663:Teaching; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: dental education; faculty development; health professions faculty; interprofessional education; teaching effectiveness