Meeting the goals of academia: characteristics of emergency medicine faculty academic work styles

• Published in: Annals of emergency medicine Vol. 21; no. 3; p. 298
• Main Authors: Meislin, H W, Spaite, D W, Valenzuela, T D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-03-1992
• Subjects: Clinical Medicine - standards; Clinical Medicine - statistics & numerical data; Education, Medical, Graduate - organization & administration; Education, Medical, Graduate - standards; Emergency Medicine - education; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Faculty, Medical - supply & distribution; Humans; Job Description; Organizational Culture; Organizational Objectives; Personnel Staffing and Scheduling - standards; Research - standards; Research - statistics & numerical data; Teaching - standards; Teaching - statistics & numerical data; Time Factors; Work Schedule Tolerance; Workforce
• ISSN: 0196-0644
• DOI: 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)80891-1

Emergency medicine faculty have 24-hour clinical responsibilities in addition to the academic requirements of research and administration/teaching. This study was undertaken to determine the existing and ideal work style of such faculty by professional rank, administrative title, and/or tenure versus clinical track.
Data analysis from department or residency directors of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved emergency medicine residency programs.
ACGME-approved emergency medicine residency programs.
Emergency medicine faculty.
Ninety-three percent of programs submitted appropriate data. Programs averaged 11 full- and four part-time faculty. Mean time ranged from 15 to 30 hours per week with an average mean of 23 hours (48% of total work week) for clinical responsibilities, from ten to 32 hours per week with an average mean of 19 hours per week (38%) for administrative/teaching efforts, and from three to 14 hours per week with an average mean of seven hours per week (15%) for research. Total time averaged between 44 and 51 hours per week. Ideal work style emphasized less clinical time and a shorter work week. Responsibilities varied by rank, administrative position, and clinical versus tenure track.
Emergency medicine faculty accomplish the clinical, research, and teaching/administrative demands of academia by increasing the number of faculty, varying the faculty responsibilities by rank and title, and shortening the total work week. Research time is extremely limited.