Entering and navigating academic medicine: Academic clinician-educators' experiences

Kumar, K; Roberts, C; Thistlethwaite, J

Entering and navigating academic medicine: Academic clinician-educators' experiences

Kumar, K Roberts, C Thistlethwaite, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Medical Education, 2011, 45 (5), pp. 497 - 503
Issue Date:: 2011-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kumar, K	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Roberts, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Thistlethwaite, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8122-4679	en_US
dc.date.issued	2011-05-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Medical Education, 2011, 45 (5), pp. 497 - 503	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0308-0110	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/117721
dc.description.abstract	Objectives Despite a recognised need for richer narratives about academic medicine, much of the literature is limited to an analysis of the enablers and barriers associated with recruitment and retention, and focuses on analysing the development of research career pathways. We explored academic clinician-educators' experiences of entering into and navigating academic medicine, with a particular focus on those who privilege teaching above research. Methods Data were collected through interviews and focus groups conducted across a medical school at one Australian university. We used socio-cognitive career theory to provide theoretical insight into the factors that influence academic clinician-educators' interests, choice and motivations regarding entering and pursuing a teaching pathway within academic medicine. Framework analysis was used to illustrate key themes in the data. Results We identified a number of themes related to academic clinician-educators' engagement and performance within an academic medicine career focused on teaching. These include contextual factors associated with how academic medicine is structured as a discipline, cultural perceptions regarding what constitutes legitimate practice in academia, experiential factors associated with the opportunity to develop a professional identity commensurate with being an educator, and socialisation practices. Conclusions The emphasis on research in academia can engender feelings of marginalisation and lack of credibility for those clinicians who favour teaching over research. The prevailing focus on supporting and socialising clinicians in research will need to change substantially to facilitate the rise of the academic clinician-educator. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Medical Education	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/j.1365-2923.2010.03887.x	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Medical Informatics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Focus Groups	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude of Health Personnel	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Faculty, Medical	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Schools, Medical	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Teaching	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.title	Entering and navigating academic medicine: Academic clinician-educators' experiences	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	5	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	45	en_US
utslib.for	119999 Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified	en_US
utslib.for	170103 Educational Psychology	en_US
utslib.for	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	13 Education	en_US
utslib.for	17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	5	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	45	en_US

Abstract:

Objectives Despite a recognised need for richer narratives about academic medicine, much of the literature is limited to an analysis of the enablers and barriers associated with recruitment and retention, and focuses on analysing the development of research career pathways. We explored academic clinician-educators' experiences of entering into and navigating academic medicine, with a particular focus on those who privilege teaching above research. Methods Data were collected through interviews and focus groups conducted across a medical school at one Australian university. We used socio-cognitive career theory to provide theoretical insight into the factors that influence academic clinician-educators' interests, choice and motivations regarding entering and pursuing a teaching pathway within academic medicine. Framework analysis was used to illustrate key themes in the data. Results We identified a number of themes related to academic clinician-educators' engagement and performance within an academic medicine career focused on teaching. These include contextual factors associated with how academic medicine is structured as a discipline, cultural perceptions regarding what constitutes legitimate practice in academia, experiential factors associated with the opportunity to develop a professional identity commensurate with being an educator, and socialisation practices. Conclusions The emphasis on research in academia can engender feelings of marginalisation and lack of credibility for those clinicians who favour teaching over research. The prevailing focus on supporting and socialising clinicians in research will need to change substantially to facilitate the rise of the academic clinician-educator. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/117721