BMC Med Educ. 2025 Oct 2;25(1):1301. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07920-2.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Academic institutions play an important role not only in increasing the health workforce, but also ensuring faculty are equipped to meet the rising demand on trainees to enter the workforce. Located in Kigali, Rwanda, Africa Health Sciences University (AHSU) is a newly established institution training the next generation of health professionals across medicine, nursing, midwifery, and other health domains. This study explores faculty and staff perceptions of their current skills in teaching and research and identifies ways to further strengthen faculty development initiatives.
METHODS: This cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted from August 11 to September 30, 2024, across AHSU’s three main residency clinical teaching sites. Participants included doctors, nurses, midwives, and administrators involved in educational activities. Data was collected via an anonymous questionnaire, with sections on participant demographics, job profile allocations, teaching and research skills, and faculty development preferences. Data was analyzed via descriptive statistics. Mean scores and standard deviations were calculated across Likert scale questions to evaluate central tendencies and participant response variability. The Kruskal-Wallis test was also employed for associations, with a statistical significance of p < 0.05.
FINDINGS: 230 participants completed the survey, including nurses and midwives (62.61%), medical doctors (31.74%), and administration (5.65%). Teaching skills were perceived to be stronger overall than research skills, with an average of 3.46 and 2.95 out of 4 respectively. Improving teaching and scholarship, and personal interest were the most cited motivations to engaging in faculty development programs. The perceived importance of faculty development showed significant associations with role, highest level of education, and faculty rank.
CONCLUSION: Strengthening faculty development in clinical academic settings has the potential to improve the overall academic environment across health sciences universities and their teaching sites. Health sciences universities should consider ways to recognize, develop, and support both their clinical and non-clinical staff engaged in academic activities. This can be done through institutional support systems, improved academic recognition frameworks, and the promotion of innovative teaching and learning methods.
PMID:41039527 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-025-07920-2
