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Career development in academic family medicine: An experiential learning approach

Sharp, Mary Anne Rainey
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055438296

Abstract Details

1991, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Organizational Behavior.
As managed health care increases in appeal, including the positive implications for family practice, the need for the effective career development of family physicians becomes more apparent. This dissertation employs experiential learning theory to explore factors that impact the career development of faculty of family medicine. Four hypotheses are tested regarding learning styles. The Executive Skills Profile (ESP) – an assessment instrument based on experiential learning theory – is used to explore organizational culture, organizational strengths, and organizational developmental needs. A major focus is the usefulness of the ESP for purposes of this study. The thirty-one tenured and non-tenured faculty of family medicine at a major urban university voluntarily participated in this research. The Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and the ESP were administered. The LSI identified subjects’ preferred approach to learning and the ESP measured their perception of their job demands, personal skills, and developmental needs. Subjects also responded to questions designed to capture their thoughts regarding their career development. Findings support three hypotheses that predicted a population of family medicine academics who are strongly accommodator and assimilator in learning style and who are weakest in the converger learning style. Findings of a fourth hypothesis are mixed. As expected, female faculty of family medicine favor concrete experience over abstract conceptualization; however, male faculty are equivocal with respect to these two learning modes. Further observations indicate that contrary to predictions of experiential learning theory, one-third of the population seem to have a simultaneous concrete and abstract learning orientation, i.e., a “mixed” learning style. The results of ESP suggest an alignment of individual and organization. The people oriented learning styles are matched by organizational culture, organizational strengths, and organizational developmental needs fundamentally characterized as “interpersonal.” Faculty of family medicine in this study differ in developmental needs based on professional setting, professional level, professional orientation, and to a lesser degree, professional task. Generally, differences in developmental needs appear to be a function not of less competence but rather, of higher performance demands. This population of family medicine academics appears to need development most in managing time and stress. The Executive Skills Profile appears to demonstrate sensitivity, accuracy, and ease of use as an assessment instrument. We offer conclusions, implications, and recommendations derived from research findings.
David Kolb (Advisor)
146 p.
Career development academic family medicine

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sharp, M. A. R. (1991). Career development in academic family medicine: An experiential learning approach [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055438296

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sharp, Mary. Career development in academic family medicine: An experiential learning approach. 1991. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055438296.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sharp, Mary. "Career development in academic family medicine: An experiential learning approach." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 1991. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1055438296

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1055438296
670
© 1991, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.