Top 10 Strategies for Success as a Clinician Educator Mario M. Zeolla, PharmD, BCPS Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice Albany College of Pharmacy.

Top 10 Strategies for Top 10 Strategies for Success as a Clinician Success as a Clinician

EducatorEducator

Mario M. Zeolla, PharmD, BCPSMario M. Zeolla, PharmD, BCPSAssistant Professor of Pharmacy Assistant Professor of Pharmacy

PracticePracticeAlbany College of PharmacyAlbany College of Pharmacy

Albany, NYAlbany, NY

What is a “Clinician What is a “Clinician Educator”?Educator”?

• Term adopted by Medical Colleges in the Term adopted by Medical Colleges in the late ’70’s and early ’80’s.late ’70’s and early ’80’s.

• Colleges experienced difficulty retaining Colleges experienced difficulty retaining faculty; demand for faculty grewfaculty; demand for faculty grew

• ““Clinician Educator” tracks were Clinician Educator” tracks were developeddeveloped– Non-tenure positions Non-tenure positions – Funding through practice income Funding through practice income

Parris et al. J Med Educ 1984; 59: 465-70. Parris et al. J Med Educ 1984; 59: 465-70.

Clinician Educators in Clinician Educators in PharmacyPharmacy

• Non-tenure track or “Clinical Faculty” Non-tenure track or “Clinical Faculty” appointmentappointment– approx. 95% of pharmacy schools/college approx. 95% of pharmacy schools/college

have non-tenure positionshave non-tenure positions

• Provide clinical pharmacy services; Provide clinical pharmacy services;

experiential & didactic educationexperiential & didactic education– ex. ex. Eckerd Patient CARE CenterEckerd Patient CARE Center

• May be fully-funded by the College or May be fully-funded by the College or shared (50/50) positionsshared (50/50) positions

Thanks to Erin McSherry, Jennifer Patton and Arlene Flynn from AACP. Thanks to Erin McSherry, Jennifer Patton and Arlene Flynn from AACP.

How is a “Success” How is a “Success” defined?defined?

• Merriam WebsterMerriam Webster

Success:Success:

““degree or measure of degree or measure of succeeding. b : favorable or succeeding. b : favorable or desired outcome; desired outcome; alsoalso : the : the attainment of wealth, favor, or attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence” eminence”

Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. http://12.129.203.36/cgi-in/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=success&x=19&y=7

Accessed November 4, 2004. Accessed November 4, 2004.

““Success” as an Success” as an AcademicianAcademician

• WealthWealth– A relative term A relative term

• Very good salary/benefitsVery good salary/benefits• Opportunities to supplement income via consulting Opportunities to supplement income via consulting

workwork• Non-monetary Wealth Non-monetary Wealth

• FavorFavor– Promotion and/or TenurePromotion and/or Tenure

• EminenceEminence– AwardsAwards– National recognition as an expert in the field National recognition as an expert in the field

How I Define Success:How I Define Success:

http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/facesPermission.htmlhttp://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/WOW/facesPermission.html

Today at work I Today at work I felt:felt:

Ideal Career = Ideal Career = % DAYS “NO HURT” % DAYS “NO HURT”

>> % DAYS % DAYS

FOR ALL OTHERS FOR ALL OTHERS COMBINEDCOMBINED

Strategy #10 Strategy #10

• Mentorship is the KEYMentorship is the KEY – many schools have a formal many schools have a formal

mentoring/ “buddy” systemmentoring/ “buddy” system– choose a mentor with similar choose a mentor with similar

background and interests background and interests – multiple mentors can be multiple mentors can be

advantageousadvantageous– discuss career goals/aspirations early discuss career goals/aspirations early

and oftenand often– be receptive to mentorship be receptive to mentorship

Strategy #9 Strategy #9

• Know where you are & where you’d Know where you are & where you’d like to golike to go– learn about your institutionlearn about your institution

•policies/procedures/personnelpolicies/procedures/personnel•promotion and tenure criteria promotion and tenure criteria

– get to know your colleaguesget to know your colleagues– set your goals early and reexamine themset your goals early and reexamine them

•short-term and long-termshort-term and long-term– understand your roles and understand your roles and

responsibilities responsibilities

• TeachingTeaching– DidacticDidactic

• large lectureslarge lectures• small group/labssmall group/labs

– ExperientialExperiential• clerkship students clerkship students

at clinical practice at clinical practice site site

• residency residency preceptingprecepting

• ServiceService– CollegeCollege

• committee workcommittee work• student advising student advising

– SiteSite• clinical services clinical services

– ProfessionProfession• pharmacy pharmacy

organizationsorganizations• legislative advocacylegislative advocacy

• ScholarshipScholarship– original researchoriginal research– manuscript/journal manuscript/journal

reviewerreviewer– review review

articles/textbooks articles/textbooks

Roles and Roles and ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Roles and Roles and ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Tenure Tenure TrackTrack

Non-Tenure Non-Tenure TrackTrack

ScholarshiScholarshipp

ServiceServiceTeachinTeachingg TeachinTeachin

ggServiceService

ScholarshiScholarshipp

Promotion/Tenure Promotion/Tenure CriteriaCriteria

• Tenure TrackTenure Track– Evidence of excellence in teaching, Evidence of excellence in teaching,

service and scholarshipservice and scholarship• emphasis on scholarship and original emphasis on scholarship and original

research publications research publications

• Non-Tenure TrackNon-Tenure Track– Emphasis on teaching and serviceEmphasis on teaching and service

• evidence of excellence in scholarship evidence of excellence in scholarship can be considered as wellcan be considered as well

• definition of “scholarship” may vary definition of “scholarship” may vary

Strategy #8 Strategy #8 • Establish a quality practice site, but Establish a quality practice site, but

be realistic be realistic – key features of a successful site:key features of a successful site:

•adequate learning environmentadequate learning environment– resources resources

•learning experience integrate education learning experience integrate education and practiceand practice

•practice activities/services seen as practice activities/services seen as valuable by patients and site personnel valuable by patients and site personnel alikealike

– services allow for some degree of flexibilityservices allow for some degree of flexibilityLittlefield LC et al. AJPE 2004; 68(Suppl): Article S8.Littlefield LC et al. AJPE 2004; 68(Suppl): Article S8.

Avoiding the Need for a Avoiding the Need for a Clone Clone

• Keep everyone informed of your roles and Keep everyone informed of your roles and responsibilitiesresponsibilities– shared faculty (50/50) positions are common shared faculty (50/50) positions are common

• ensure clearly defined responsibilities up frontensure clearly defined responsibilities up front– 50% + 50% ≠ 200% 50% + 50% ≠ 200%

– educate all parties about educate all parties about activities/responsibilitiesactivities/responsibilities• ““Faculty forum” at ACP PP department meetings Faculty forum” at ACP PP department meetings • regular meetings with practice site personnel regular meetings with practice site personnel

Strategy #7 Strategy #7 • Become the “local expert” in any area Become the “local expert” in any area

of interestof interest– Generalist = “jack of all trades, master of none” Generalist = “jack of all trades, master of none”

– Find your passion and pursue itFind your passion and pursue it• a topic you loved as a student/resident a topic you loved as a student/resident • an area relevant to your everyday practicean area relevant to your everyday practice• a topic you teach in the classroom a topic you teach in the classroom

– Opportunities for scholarship in your “area of Opportunities for scholarship in your “area of interest”interest”• reviewer for peer-reviewed journals, newsletters reviewer for peer-reviewed journals, newsletters • publications (case reports, letters, review articles) publications (case reports, letters, review articles) • original research original research

Strategy #6 Strategy #6 • Never stop learningNever stop learning

– Numerous professional development opportunitiesNumerous professional development opportunities

– Seek out teaching workshops / conferencesSeek out teaching workshops / conferences– AACP Annual and Interim Meetings (www.aacp.org)AACP Annual and Interim Meetings (www.aacp.org)– specialty conferences: IDEA conference specialty conferences: IDEA conference

(www.idea.ksu.edu)(www.idea.ksu.edu)

– Staying current is a mustStaying current is a must– Journal Watch, Medscape.com, PNN Pharmacotherapy Journal Watch, Medscape.com, PNN Pharmacotherapy

Line Line

– Additional training/certifications Additional training/certifications – BCPS, CGP, CDM, CACPBCPS, CGP, CDM, CACP– APhA Certificate Programs APhA Certificate Programs

Strategy #5 Strategy #5

• Take advantage of “extracurricular” Take advantage of “extracurricular” opportunitiesopportunities – Review institution’s consulting policyReview institution’s consulting policy

• ACP = 20% of time for consulting activities ACP = 20% of time for consulting activities

– Opportunities for financial gain and Opportunities for financial gain and professional development professional development • consulting opportunities consulting opportunities • industry-sponsored speaking engagementsindustry-sponsored speaking engagements• The Six O’Clock NewsThe Six O’Clock News

Strategy #4 Strategy #4 • Practice saying two letters… N OPractice saying two letters… N O

– ““Lack of Time” causes stress and burn Lack of Time” causes stress and burn out out

– determining your “plate size” can take determining your “plate size” can take timetime• err on the low side initially err on the low side initially

– time management is essentialtime management is essential• establish a systemestablish a system

– evaluate the “risk/benefit” ratio of evaluate the “risk/benefit” ratio of everything you do everything you do

Jackson RA et al. Am J Pharm Educ 1993; 57: 9-17.Jackson RA et al. Am J Pharm Educ 1993; 57: 9-17.

Strategy #3 Strategy #3 • Serve your students & the professionServe your students & the profession

– Student organization/activitiesStudent organization/activities• Be a faculty advisor to your favorite student Be a faculty advisor to your favorite student

groupgroup– APhA, ASHP, ASCP, NCPA student chaptersAPhA, ASHP, ASCP, NCPA student chapters– Professional Fraternities Professional Fraternities – Clubs/Intramural activities Clubs/Intramural activities

– Local, state and national pharmacy Local, state and national pharmacy organizationsorganizations• serve on committees; run for officeserve on committees; run for office• advocate for the profession advocate for the profession • opportunity for networking with colleaguesopportunity for networking with colleagues

Strategy #2Strategy #2• CollaborateCollaborate

– Albany College of Pharmacy Community Albany College of Pharmacy Community Pharmacy Practice Group (CPPG) Pharmacy Practice Group (CPPG) • three faculty members and one resident three faculty members and one resident • collaborate on practice-based research collaborate on practice-based research

projects, clinical practice development, projects, clinical practice development, teaching activities, professional/College teaching activities, professional/College service service

• also provides a “support group” also provides a “support group”

– Joint teaching activitiesJoint teaching activities• shared clerkship activities (ex. journal club, shared clerkship activities (ex. journal club,

case presentations) case presentations) • clerkship orientation session/preceptor clerkship orientation session/preceptor

trainingtraining

Collaborative Scholarly Collaborative Scholarly ActivityActivity

• Benefits of collaboration Benefits of collaboration – On the job trainingOn the job training

• work with tenured/tenure-track colleagues work with tenured/tenure-track colleagues to develop research and writing skillsto develop research and writing skills

– Many hands make light workMany hands make light work• reduce workload/time burdenreduce workload/time burden• improve the quality of your workimprove the quality of your work

– increase the sample size of original research increase the sample size of original research projectsprojects

– Collegiality Collegiality

Strategy #1Strategy #1

• Reap the rewards of the positionReap the rewards of the position– Unparalleled variety and flexibility Unparalleled variety and flexibility

– Direct impact on the lives of Direct impact on the lives of students, patients, and on the students, patients, and on the professionprofession

– Opportunities for advancement Opportunities for advancement

ConclusionsConclusions• Clinician Educator positions offer a Clinician Educator positions offer a

unique opportunity to experience unique opportunity to experience the best of both worldsthe best of both worlds

• Success as a clinician educator can Success as a clinician educator can be defined many waysbe defined many ways

• Strategies for success should be Strategies for success should be implemented from the start implemented from the start

Eckerd Patient CARE CenteEckerd Patient CARE Center – Loudonville, NYr – Loudonville, NY