Becoming a Researcher in Academic Medicine: An Autoethnography of Research Faculty Development

In the literature, research education is insufficiently addressed. Existing studies often document pre-/post-educational interventions. Accounts of individual scholars colored by their views and experience are rarely considered. This study describes the research experience of a faculty member in academic medicine and examines the values and practices that make up the subculture of research. Drawing on Hafler’s conceptual framework and autoethnography as a method, professional experiences related to research education are described and analyzed. Data were collected through the author’s journaled self-reflections. The findings were organized according to Hafler’s three suggested areas of faculty development. The first was the experience of formal professional development activities. There was a dearth of research education activities provided to faculty. The second was the experience of informal mentorship. Despite the tapestry of mentors, the types of relationships involved were unclear. The third theme is the experience of the culture surrounding promotion and funding. The quality of the research was challenged by the lack of funding. Current research education for faculty members are, in the author’s experience, modest. The research subculture encourages tacit strategies that orient faculty toward producing research on their own and influence scholarship decisions that produce works that do not necessarily have value and may not be considered impactful. A clearer purpose and more structured professional development that takes into consideration the three levels of faculty development—formal, informal, and cultural—are needed to help faculty fully realize their roles as researchers.