Eight-Year Investigation of the Impact of the Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program

Introduction: The roles and responsibilities of the administrative staff supporting required clinical medical student experiences have evolved. In 2004, the Association of American Medical Colleges Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA) offered for the first time the Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program. This program requires the completion of a series of workshops and a project and results in a certificate. Research related to long-term outcomes of professional development programs such as this is limited. The purpose of our study was to explore the impact this professional development program had on the careers of participants. Methods: We conducted a survey of those who completed the qualifying workshops from 2010 to 2018. The survey was based on program content, including questions to explore the self-described impact on their careers. Categorical and scaled data were summarized using descriptive statistics. The realistic evaluation framework was used to guide inductive and deductive content analysis, allowing respondent interpretations and context to define outcomes. Results: Out of 244 invitations, 50 (20.5%) responded. Of the respondents, 40 still work in medical education. Scaled responses (strongly disagree to strongly agree) were positive. The individual's motivation, departmental climate, and other contextual factors (experience, collaborators, time) impacted workshop participants’ ability to complete the certificate program. Those who completed certification noted various forms of recognition locally, ranging from special recognition by the chair, raises, and promotions. Additionally, participants felt more confident and accomplished in their careers. Conclusions: Although positively rated, the success of this program had differential outcomes depending on participant contexts. Unintended results for participants completing the program resulted in promotions. Applying the realistic evaluation framework provided insights to improve the program.