Evaluation of core faculty development workshop: Experience from Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal

Abstract

Introductions: Faculty development is important to promote the core education principles/philosophies and instil the innovations planned and/or carried out in any educational program. Thus, Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) has carried out regular faculty development programs for its faculty in order to effectively implement an innovative curriculum, teaching/learning methods and student assessment. 

 

Methods: Effectiveness of the workshop was assessed by validated retro-pre questionnaire at the end of the workshop. Paired t-test was used to test the differences between before and after scores on knowledge and application on various aspects of the program. Effect size was also calculated to determine the size of the difference between before and after the workshop.

 

Results: The core faculty development program was effective as it significantly increased the overall knowledge and application scores among most of the participants. The workshop benefitted the most to the experienced male faculty as the effect size for these groups were very high (Cohen’s d>1.3).

 

Conclusions:  As PBL is implemented during the basic sciences years only, the concerned faculty benefitted the most from the workshop. Further such trainings are advocated to increase the pool of trained tutors for effective implementation of the PBL.

 

Key words: faculty development, innovation, medicine, PAHS