Qualitative assessment of the long-term impact of a faculty development programme in teaching skills

Context: The long-term impact of faculty development programmes (FDPs) is poorly understood, and most assessments of them have been quantitative in nature. Objective: This study aimed to use qualitative methods to better understand the long-term impact of an FDP in teaching skills (FDP/TS). Methods: A survey was carried out in July 2002 of the 242 faculty members and fellows who had participated in a 9-month FDP/TS at any time from 1987 through 2000. The survey included 2 quantitative questions and an open-ended qualitative question about the impact of the programme on the participants' professional and personal lives. Results: A total of 200 past participants (83%) responded to the survey. Participants from early and recent cohorts were similarly represented. In all, 82% of respondents said programme participation had had 'a moderate' or 'a lot' of impact on their professional life, and 49% said their personal life had been affected to this degree. Four major domains, each containing at least 3 subcategories, emerged from qualitative analysis. The domain intrapersonal development included changes participants reported in themselves and in their approach to self-management. Interpersonal development contained subcategories relating to how participants interact with others. Subcategories in the domain development as a teacher related to increased teaching ability and enjoyment. The domain career development included professional growth and career opportunities attributed to programme participation. Conclusions: Longitudinal FDPs can have broad and sustained positive effects on the professional and personal lives of participants. Qualitative evaluation methods may result in a richer and deeper understanding of the impact of these programmes.