Structure

The Faculty Forward partnership provides a structured and supported process for members to strengthen their institutional capacity to enhance faculty vitality. Using prepared tools, templates and project timelines, and with various types of support, these member schools (PDF) will progress through the program on a shared timetable with opportunities for facilitated discussion, shared learning, leadership development, and other interactive opportunities.

At present, 23 U.S. medical schools are "founding partners" for our first cohort, which launched in January 2009.

The first phase of the program focuses on measurement and communications. We will administer the AAMC-COACHE Medical Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey to faculty at member institutions, and schools will receive a detailed benchmarking report (see AAMC-COACHE Medical Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey) that allows for a deeper understanding of what drives faculty satisfaction at their institution.

As the program continues, participant schools will have opportunities to participate in targeted discussions on topics including communicating about survey results and how to maximize use and application of the survey data. In coming years, other schools will have the opportunity to join future Faculty Forward cohorts.

Goals

• To create a medical school faculty satisfaction survey tool that is considered best-in-class and offers better value than those instruments currently in the marketplace

• To use that survey tool to create national benchmarking data on faculty satisfaction at U.S. medical schools

• To create a structured and supported process, with tools, templates and project guides, to strengthen participant schools' capacity to identify and implement changes that will enhance faculty vitality

• To foster development of skills and strategies to support participant institutions' ability to sustain and enhance those improvements over time

Faculty Forward data, resources, and tools will enable schools to improve institutional work environment and culture and thus increase faculty retention, satisfaction, and morale.