The application for the next two-year term of the Faculty Development Academy, which begins in January 2014, is available on MedicineNews and is due by Oct. 11.
In 2011, the Department of Medicine launched the Faculty Development Academy to address individual faculty development needs, supplement on-going mentorship, and develop faculty in four high priority career tracks: basic/translational researcher, clinical/health services researcher, administrator path, and education scholar. The Academy matches fellows with mentors and provides a curriculum that supports professional and career development.
The curriculum for the new term will include a targeted writing workshop designed to help fellows learn to revise their written work more effectively, eventually translating into more efficient first drafts. The workshop is also available to current Academy fellows.
The workshop series, taught by Joanna Downer, PhD, director of research development in the School of Medicine, will include a large group session that will include a brief recap of George Gopen’s “Writing from the Reader’s Perspective” and end with hands-on revision of two participants’ writing samples.
In subsequent small group sessions for each Academy branch, Dr. Downer will lead each participant through the first stages of revision of a document he or she is currently working on. These documents can include drafts of grants, other kinds of proposals, policy documents, or whatever is relevant to each Academy fellow.
“As they learn how to revise, participants will become more aware of their writing over time, eventually catching themselves in the act as they put words down on paper the first time,” Downer said. “The immediate goal is to help participants revise their work more effectively, but over the long-term, what they learn should help them prepare a better first draft, too. In the current funding climate, timing and quality of applications are critical, so our goals is to help both accelerate the process and improve the quality of the participants’ writing.”
Downer said the workshop is relevant to all writing, not just grants. The focus isn’t on grammar, but on clarity. She’ll be sharing writing tips, such as making every word work – evaluating each word independently to make sure it advances an argument – and “say what you mean, and mean what you say,” a phrase that reminds writers to focus on choosing the right words in their writing.
There is also a focus on storytelling, examining what makes a good story and how to tell that story in a way that is easy for the reader to understand.
“The workshop will provide helpful information and give Academy fellows a different way to think about their writing and others’ writing,” Downer said.
To take advantage of this course and other curriculum available to Academy fellows, apply today.