Targeted Faculty Development and Program Administration Based on Subjective Structural Analysis of Academic Physician Needs

Abstract

Fiscal changes in the health care environment have placed increasing pressures
on 21st century academic physicians. This situation has made it
increasingly difficult for academic chairs and administrators to assess
the multiple needs of academic clinician-educators. This study reports
the use of Q methodology to assess emergency medicine physicians'
faculty development needs. Among the physicians, three distinct
viewpoints concerning clinician-educator needs emerged: physicians in
search of workload balance, those happy with the status quo, and those
in search of cohesive community. Needs common to multiple viewpoints
were also identified. These findings helped the investigators create
specific targeted strategies that took into account both individual and
group needs. The structured approach to subjectivity, ad key feature of Q
method, can assist academic decision-makers to identify and fulfill the
needs of their faculty physicians in a more democratic and efficacious
manner.