A meaningful MESS (Medical Education Scholarship Support).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Graduate medical education faculty bear the responsibility of demonstrating
active research and scholarship; however, faculty who choose education-focused careers
may face unique obstacles related to the lack of promotion tracks, funding, career
options, and research opportunities. Our objective was to address education research
and scholarship barriers by providing a collaborative peer-mentoring environment and
improve the production of research and scholarly outputs. METHODS: We describe a Medical
Education Scholarship Support (MESS) group created in 2013. MESS is an interprofessional,
multidisciplinary peer-mentoring education research community that now spans multiple
institutions. This group meets monthly to address education research and scholarship
challenges. Through this process, we develop new knowledge, research, and scholarly
products, in addition to meaningful collaborations. RESULTS: MESS originated with
eight founding members, all of whom still actively participate. MESS has proven to
be a sustainable unfunded local community of practice, encouraging faculty to pursue
health professions education (HPE) careers and fostering scholarship. We have met
our original objectives that involved maintaining 100% participant retention; developing
increased knowledge in at least seven content areas; and contributing to the development
of 13 peer-reviewed publications, eight professional presentations, one Masters of
Education project, and one educational curriculum. DISCUSSION: The number of individuals
engaged in HPE research continues to rise. The MESS model could be adapted for use
at other institutions, thereby reducing barriers HPE researchers face, providing an
effective framework for trainees interested in education-focused careers, and having
a broader impact on the education research landscape.
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