Success stories: exploring the long-term impact of a global faculty development program for health professions educators

Abstract Background Faculty development programs (FDPs) in health professions education (HPE) are instrumental in supporting, promoting, and improving HPE curricula and activities that target individual- and system-level capacity strengthening. FAIMER, a division of Intealth, has been offering FDPs for global health professions educators in HPE and leadership for over two decades through the International FAIMER Institute in USA and FAIMER Regional Institutes located globally. This paper examines the long-term impact of FAIMER's global FDPs by eliciting stories of success from program participants (Fellows). Methods The study utilizes a modified Success Case Method approach. Study participants recruited were 14 FAIMER Fellows nominated as exemplars of success cases by program directors and faculty members from seven global sites, using extreme case sampling technique. Of the 14 Fellows, two were from Africa, nine from Asia and three from Latin America. In-depth interviews were conducted with each Fellow to understand their self-perceived success and factors from both their local context and FAIMER’s FDPs that have contributed to their success. Theoretical thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results The top three emergent areas of success perceived by Fellows were career advancement & recognition, professional development, and advancement of HPE. Fellows identified both institution-level factors and personal attributes as contributing to their success. They also reported that FAIMER’s FDPs have substantially contributed to their success by expanding professional networks, fostering academic achievement, and enhancing interpersonal development and leadership skills. Conclusions The findings show the long-term impact of FAIMER’s FDPs in advancing the field of HPE which is reflected by the multiple pathways for Fellows to succeed. The Fellow stories highlight the continuing value of FAIMER’s global FDP for HPE educators worldwide in professional development and leadership. The study also proposes recommendations for enhancing faculty development activities in HPE for long-term impact.