This session will promote consideration of faculty learning communities (FLC) as a strategy for faculty development, with a special two-fold focus on: 1) integrating new tools into instruction and 2) promoting educational scholarship. FLCs connect faculty to collaborate on teaching and learning, nourish scholarship of teaching, and encourage reflection on teaching and teachers. FLCs have shown positive impact on attitudes and behaviors among college faculty. By increasing a sense of belonging, FLCs offer opportunities for faculty to identify and pursue individual goals related to their teaching endeavor in a supportive and stimulating environment. Participating in a learning community may contribute to faculty revitalization and well-being as they are confronted by increased clinical demands and rapid changes in the academic work-place. We also believe that FLC membership may provide the appropriate environment for adapting to teaching challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Participants will:

1. Evaluate potential contributions of faculty learning communities to faculty development in health professions education;
2. Discuss barriers and opportunities for faculty productivity and response to challenges in current health professions educational settings;
3. Analyze the impact of faculty learning communities on faculty scholarship and nimbleness in the face of challenges;
4. Apply principles and guidelines for the formation of faculty learning communities to address the context of their own institutions.