Faculty Development Initiatives Grant Program

Purpose

Faculty Development Initiatives Grants are available to support individual members of faculty to further their educational and educational leadership skills. Individuals will pursue this skill development by designing, implementing, and/or participating in an educational project or program that addresses issues related to teaching, assessment, program development, professional development or educational research. Priority will be given to initiatives that are innovative or experimental. Grants for such initiatives will be provided to a maximum of $5000. The emphasis should be on the applicant’s career development, deliverables to other faculty members or related to educational development. 

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a current appointment in the Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia or its collaborating partners. Clinical Educator Fellows in the Centre for Health Education Scholarship who hold a current UBC Faculty of Medicine appointment are also eligible.

Application Process

1. Applications are to be completed as outlined below under Application Form.
2. Applications should be developed based on a project which has a practical application to professional development and educational outcomes.
3. Please submit applications to the Office for Faculty Development and Educational Support, address below. An electronic copy of all submissions is required as well.
4. Applications will be reviewed and judged by a review committee comprised of members of the Faculty Development Committee and program/course/clerkship directors.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be judged on the following key points:

1. Contribution to the Career Development of the Applicant The potential effectiveness of the proposed initiative in addressing the career development of the applicant
2. Contribution to the Faculty The importance of the educational skills development and project to the educational mission of the Faculty
3. The feasibility, generalizability and sustainability of the project

Activities and or projects could include, but are not limited to:

• Development of educational materials for use in faculty development activities. For example, development of a guide for clinicians on “How to teach medical students in the office”.
• Development of teaching methodology and educational strategies. For example, how to use standardized/simulated students for teaching evaluation and feedback skills to faculty.
• Development of an evaluation tool.
• Evaluation of educational outcomes.
• Partial support for faculty to participate in formal programs addressing educational leadership, research and/or development skills. Support for travel or attendance at conferences and courses will generally not be considered.
• Investigation of a question or problem related to education. 

Budget restrictions:

• No stipends for Principle Investigator and/or Co-investigators.
• Research Assistants' salary must not exceed 50% of the grant amount.
• Funds are not intended primarily to support travel, attendance at courses or conferences.
• Up to 10% of the grant amount may be allocated to knowledge transfer. 

Expectations & Conditions

• Winners will be announced on the May 11, 2012 Medical Education Days for Health Professionals at the University Golf Club.  
• If ethics approval is required, funds will be released once the appropriate certificate has been obtained. 
• Funding is for the current fiscal year and must be used prior to March 31, 2013 (fiscal year end). Extension is possible upon request. A maximum of two years will be allowed to complete the project.
• Two reports are required - a progress report prior to April 1, 2013 and a final report including a financial summary prior to September 1, 2013.
• Outcomes of the project will be presented at the Medical Education Monthly Rounds, or on Medical Education Day, a national meeting on medical education and/or disseminated through publication.

Application Deadline: 4pm Monday April 30, 2012

Application Form (click HERE to download the fillable form)

An application form is attached as well to help guide your application. The components of the application include:

1. The applicants' contact information and project title.
2. A concise, one-paragraph summary of the project for publication in an educational newsletter.
3. Project objectives and description, detailing the anticipated contribution this project will make to the faculty or the individual. The deliverables and means by which the project will be evaluated should also be clearly outlined.
4. Projected budget and timeline for the project. Please keep in mind that the purchase of equipment or other depreciating assets is not allowed. 
5. A letter from the Department Head stating that he/she has reviewed and is in agreement with the proposal.
6. An electronic copy of the application.
7. The applicants' signature and date of submission.

If you wish to discuss your ideas before submitting an application, please contact Yan Huang, Faculty Development Program manager, at yan.huang@ubc.ca; 604-875-4111 local 68607. Descriptions of grant winners’ projects will be posted on faculty development website (http://www.med.ubc.ca/faculty_staff/faculty_development.htm) when available.

Office of Faculty Development and Educational Support
Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Diamond Health Care Centre – 11^th Floor, Rm 11223
2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
Tel: 604-875-4396
Fax: 604-875-5370
Email: fac.dev@ubc.ca
Website: http://www.med.ubc.ca/faculty_staff/faculty_development.htm