Tufts University School of Medicine

Faculty Development

The educational contributions of Tufts University School of Medicine faculty members are a vital component of the school's mission and strategic plan. Tufts School of Medicine is committed to supporting and recognizing faculty efforts through a comprehensive faculty development program.

Tufts School of Medicine's faculty development program targets faculty teaching in the MD, Public Health, and Professional Degree programs. A variety of programs, augmented by individual consultation, addresses teaching in the pre-clerkship years of the medical education program; residents and faculty who teach in the clerkships and clinical electives; students who participate in Tufts University School of Medicine's Student-As-Teacher (SAT) Program (new requirement of Tufts School of Medicine's 4-year curriculum), and lecture, small group, team-based learning, and seminar-style teaching in the Public Health programs and Professional Degree programs. The faculty development program is based on Tufts School of Medicine's Educational Strategic Planning principles; a comprehensive analysis of all courses in the MD, Public Health, and Professional Degree programs, clerkships and their faculty based on student evaluations; and on a biennial institutional faculty development needs-assessment survey conducted by the Office of Educational Affairs. The program design and delivery is also guided by relevant theoretical frameworks, including principles of adult learning, self-directed learning, reflective practice, and situated learning. An outcome-logic model approach is being used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

The goals of the faculty development program are to:

  • Promote the fulfillment of the Educational Strategic Plan’s learning and teaching principles through a comprehensive faculty development program that covers the continuum of medical education and that targets students, residents and faculty members.
  • Address faculty needs for professional development.
  • Support individual faculty in their roles as educators.
  • Offer a variety of venues to assist faculty with enhancing their educational contributions.
  • Help faculty in advancing their careers as medical educators by developing their educational contributions into scholarly work and educational scholarship, including assisting faculty with the design, implementation, analysis and dissemination of educational innovations, research projects and grants.
  • Promote the recognition of faculty educational contributions through faculty development.
  • Assist with the design, implementation and evaluation of the Resident-As-Teacher program.
  • Participate in the design, implementation and evaluation of Tufts School of Medicine’s Student-As-Teacher (SAT) Program.
  • Create a collegial faculty/resident/student forum around Tufts School of Medicine’s teaching and learning practices. 
  • Promote the train-the-trainers model through efforts by involving faculty as peer trainers.
  • Promote sharing of best practices among faculty members and affiliated teaching sites.
  • Contribute to developing a scholarly curriculum.

For more information about the Faculty Development Program, please view:

Educational Handouts