Acceleration Academy

Faculty at MGH Institute of Health Professions enjoy access to a range of professional development opportunities. The Acceleration Academy is designed for instructors and assistant professors who prefer a structured, cohort-based, on-campus approach to advancing their professional goals. If the list of available resources on Faculty Compass could be considered a "menu" of options, the Acceleration Academy is a "prix fixe meal." It offers formal guidance on how to achieve success in the full range of responsibilities as a faculty member.

Participants will meet as a group for facilitated workshops eighteen times during 2024. Meetings will take place two Mondays a month from 12–1 pm with a break for the summer. Participants will also arrange separate, periodic one-on-one check-ins with assigned mentors.

See syllabus for exact session dates and topics.

Complete the online application by November 1, 2023. The application asks for a brief statement of how participation in the Acceleration Academy will benefit your professional goals and a copy of your CV.

Up to twelve faculty members will be selected to participate. Criteria for evaluation include clarity of rationale for participation, interprofessional representation, and evidence of academic potential.

Timeline

*Oct 2 at 12pp*	Information session for interested applicants Recording of info session on Oct 25 (repeat info from Oct 2)
*Nov 1, 2023*	Applications due
*Nov 13, 2023*	Accepted applicants notified
*Dec 1, 2023*	Accepted applicants commit to participation
*Jan 8 - May 20, 2024*	Program sessions on Mondays from 12-1pm
*Jun, Jul, Aug 2024*	Summer break
*Sept 9 - Dec 16, 2024*	Program sessions resume, Mondays from 12-1pm

0.5 FTE or greater faculty appointment at MGH Institute of Health Professions
Rank of instructor or assistant professor
Approval of academic unit leader to participate
Commitment to prepare for and attend at least 80% of synchronous sessions

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will:

Develop an individualized career plan
Gain skills to achieve professional goals related to teaching, scholarship, and service
Receive targeted mentorship
Present a proposal for an academic project
Qualify to apply for funding to implement the project

How will the mentors be chosen?

Faculty with ranks of associate professor, professor, and emeriti are being recruited to join a Mentorship Academy. They will benefit from resources, templates, and collective wisdom to hone their mentorship skills. Participants in the Acceleration Academy will have the option to rank their desired mentor from the list of trained mentors.

What is the time commitment?

In addition to the 18 hours of synchronous sessions (two hours per month for nine months), participants will need to complete a reading or short activity prior to meeting. They should also allot about one hour per month for meetings with their mentor or mentors. Participants should expect to devote about five hours per month for nine months in 2024.

Is this right for me if I’m going up for promotion next year?

The Acceleration Academy is designed for all instructors and assistant professors at the IHP. Participants who intend to apply for promotion in 2024 can still benefit from the individualized career planning, mentorship, and skills building. They could use the framework of the program to develop their promotion dossier.

I’m already in the Health Professions Education program, do I need this, too?

The Acceleration Academy focuses on the hidden curriculum of being a faculty member while HPEd prepares you to engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning. The two programs complement each other, though you will want to consider the time commitment involved in participating in both simultaneously.

How customizable is the curriculum if I already feel comfortable with some of the topics?

All Acceleration Academy participants will engage with the same material at the same time. Those with more expertise in a particular area could serve as peer mentors for their colleagues. All the materials used during the sessions will be available to all faculty members. If you feel confident in your abilities in most of the topics, then you may benefit from simply consulting the resources relevant to the areas where you could use strengthening.

I already have a line of research or scholarship, how will I benefit from this?

Participants are not required to have a clearly defined academic project at the outset of the program. If you already have concrete goals, you should consider whether your time is better spent advancing those initiatives or learning a broad set of topics about the faculty role. Participants will benefit from the cohort experience and dedicated mentorship.

Questions?

Contact Peter Cahn.

Peter S. Cahn, PhD

Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Office of the Provost

Peter S. Cahn, PhD

pcahn@mghihp.edu
(617) 724-6138
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