(455) Weekly Virtual Professional Development Series for Pharmacy Faculty and Staff

Objective: To share a comprehensive faculty development program created and maintained by faculty at one public institution.

Program: Weekly, virtual 75-minute faculty and staff professional development sessions were offered to promote wellness and discussion with peers over the lunch hour. The program was created by faculty using a needs assessment survey and input from the School of Pharmacy Faculty Development Committee with minimal resources and no funding. Topics are presented in various discussion formats including several interprofessional sessions and sessions including external stakeholders. Discussions are led by different faculty and staff. Using a survey as part of a quality assurance program, analysis of the program was conducted in July 2023 to describe perception of program value.

Results: In total, 78 sessions have been offered from October 2021 to March 2024. On average, 11 faculty and staff attend each session. Most common areas of the faculty development programming included teaching (21.1%); wellness (18.9%); scholarship (16.7%); Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (16.7%); technology (10.0%); service (7.8%); and administrative topics (5.6%).

Satisfaction of participants: Overall participant satisfaction with the program was high. Participants reported always or often learning something new (73.7%) with 47.4% reporting that they also implemented a strategy learned. Most would recommend lunch and learn to a colleague (84.2%) and find lunch and learn valuable (78.9%). While participants shared specific strategies they learned and implemented, there is also value in the social connection (89.5% indicated the program allows them to connect with co-workers).

Conclusion: The faculty and staff lunch and learn program has been successful with continued attendance and participant satisfaction. The program is not time or resource intensive and could be replicated by others.