Teaching Awards and Reduced Departmental Longevity: Kiss of Death or Kiss Goodbye. What happens to Excellent Clinical Teachers in a Research Intensive Medical School?

Abstract

Context: Although medical education is the unique mission of academic medical centers and medical schools, there is a perception that research is valued more than teaching. Objective: To determine in a group of excellent teachers (1) job satisfaction; (2) differences in perceptions among those who remained in the department compared to those who left; and (3) where those who left went. Design, setting, participants: Survey of all Department of Medicine “Clinical Teacher of the Year” award-winners in an academic medical center. Outcome measurements: Satisfaction scale: 5=extremely satisfied to 1=extremely dissatisfied; perception scale: 5=valued most highly to 1=not valued at all). Results: Thirteen winners (48%) left the department. Of the 10 in the clinical track 6 went into private practice. Award-winning faculty who remained in the department had significantly higher satisfaction ratings (mean+1SD) than those who left for all three activities – teaching (3.8+0.6 vs.1.8+0.7 [p < 0.001]), research (3.3+0.7 vs. 2.0+1.1 [p=0.003]), and clinical (3.5+0.5 vs. 1.7+0.7 [p < 0.001]). In general, winners were most satisfied with various aspects of teaching; areas of highest dissatisfaction related to support for education. Research was rated most highly and teaching least valued {Mean (StdErr)= 4.2(0.1) and 2.8(0.1)}. There were no differences in perceptions between award winners who left and those who stayed. Conclusions: Teaching excellence is a perishable commodity. Greater effort is needed to retain the best clinical teachers within academic medical centres