The influence of academic projects on the professional socialization of family medicine faculty.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Successful academic physicians acquire and maintain productive colleague relationships, understand unwritten rules of academe, and effectively manage their careers. Developing these professional socialization skills are goals of some faculty development programs (FDPs), but there is scant evidence about whether such programs are effective. METHODS: A nationwide retrospective, cross-sectional written survey was conducted in two phases: (1) FDP directors who received US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration support between 1994 and 1997 described program activities and provided enrollee rosters and (2) enrollees reported socialization and colleague outcomes. Instruments were developed, pilot tested, and administered for this study. Analysis utilized descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Of 52 eligible directors, 37 (71%) provided FDP activity details and rosters. Of 543 eligible enrollees, 351 (65%) returned surveys. A key result of factor analysis was a seven-item scale related to academic project activities. FDPs with greater emphasis on these activities were associated with enrollees reporting higher levels of colleague relationships and professional socialization skills. CONCLUSION: This study's factor analysis indicates that certain FDP project activities are positively associated with enrollees' professional socialization outcomes.