An Integrated Strategy: Preparing Future Biomedical Science Faculty for Teaching-Related Roles

Abstract

In our biomedical science research PhD programs and postdoctoral training experiences, opportunities for these future faculty to learn about and gain experience related to teaching and learning in university settings is extremely limited. Our PhD students’ graduate appointments are limited to research assistantships, and our postdoctoral scholars are employed in research-focused roles. These factors limit their time and opportunities to participate in experiences related to how people learn and effective teaching strategies. The problem we attempted to solve was how to create and maximize teaching-related experiences in an environment where these opportunities are minimal. We created a multi-layered approach to providing graduate students and postdocs with opportunities to learn about and practice core skills related to teaching students through Division-developed programs, partnerships with existing programs and services, and fostering student/trainee-led programs. Division-developed programs and services that have been developed intentionally for the purpose of preparing trainees for teaching-related faculty roles include:

Designing and implementing an annual 1-2 week-long institute related to essentials of teaching and learning A learning community with a journal club, networking opportunities, and workshops Facilitating a process to find and screen potential volunteer teaching opportunities for students and postdocs Providing specific, tailored, one-on-one and small group guidance and mentoring upon request These programs and services are co-curricular, non-academic experiences in which any PhD student or postdoctoral scholar at IU School of Medicine may participate and have been designed complement and not conflict with the primary biomedical science research training experiences of these trainees. We will also share how these Division-developed programs and services fit into existing School of Medicine and IUPUI programs, including the Academy of Teaching Scholars, CIRTL@IUPUI programming, IUPUI CTL programs and services, and IUPUI’s Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals program. The relationship between Division and school/campus/university-level program will also be discussed during our presentation in terms of the strategic importance of each to the other.

Additionally, in partnership with the Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and the IUPUI School of Education, the Division has developed a doctoral minor for graduate students in the life sciences that is an optional, curricular experience for graduate students who wish to include preparation and experience related to life science teaching and learning into their experience at IU School of Medicine. We will discuss how this doctoral minor complements the Division’s co-curricular programming and how the minor fits into a greater strategic framework for preparing future faculty in the biomedical sciences for teaching-related faculty roles. Finally, as part of a student-initiated and led initiative called Teaching, Learning, and Professor Support for Graduate Teaching Assistants (TLPS-GTA), we will discuss how a student-led, peer-to-peer program that overlaps in content with Division-level programming fits into our overall strategic framework. We will discuss how providing graduate student instructors with just-in-time knowledge and skills to current graduate teaching assistants complements the Division’s greater strategy for preparing future biomedical science faculty for teaching related roles while fulfilling a distinct part of our overall strategy for graduate student and postdoctoral scholar focused educational development.