As we prepare for the next generation of health professions education (HPE), course directors play a pivotal role in shaping curricula to optimize educational outcomes. Many educators step into this crucial leadership role without formal training. This session aims to equip health professions educators who direct foundational science or integrated courses with strategies to design and deliver courses that meet program outcomes, balance diverse stakeholder needs, and ensure quality education amid rapid changes in healthcare delivery and technology.

This session explores four key areas: leadership and ethical decision-making, team education and shared goal setting, logistics management with transparent supportive structures, and facilitation of precision education. Through interactive, realistic case discussions and collaborative problem-solving, participants will develop global, evidence-based strategies to enhance their effectiveness in these areas and advocate for continued faculty development in their own institutions.

This session will be valuable for faculty in HPE who want to grow in their leadership roles through excellent course directorship.

Agenda & Methods

• Introduction and Audience Survey (10 minutes) (Learning outcome, LO1 & 2)
  • Introduction of presenters
  • Interactive audience survey: "Where are we as course directors?"
  • Overview of learning outcomes and key concepts
• Case-Based Small Group Discussions (15 minutes) (LO2 & 3 a-d)
  • Participants divided into groups of 4-5
  • Each group is assigned one of four cases addressing course director challenges
  • Guided discussion using prompts: stakeholders, challenges, skills/knowledge needed
• Large Group Strategy Discussion (50 min) (LO2 & 3 a-d)
  For each case: Each group reads the assigned cases and reports out the facilitated discussion on strategies
  • Case 1: Leadership and Ethics
  • Case 2: Curriculum Integration and Shared Goal Setting
  • Case 3: Transparent structure and logistics management
  • Case 4: Facilitating precision education for student success
• Summary and Resource Sharing (15 minutes) (LO4 & 5)
  • Key takeaways and discussion of follow-up actions to take for further faculty development in own institution
  • Presentation of additional resources for continued learning