A Logic Model for Evaluating the Impact of an Interprofessional Educators Academy at a Research-intensive Academic Health Center

Background: The Duke Academy for Health Professions Education and Academic Development (AHEAD) was established in 2014, with the three-fold mission of faculty development (FD), recognition and promotion (R&P) and research and innovation (R&I). To date, there has been no formal evaluation of how and to what degree Duke AHEAD is achieving its mission. Logic models have been shown to be a useful tool in program evaluation, especially for non-profit and complex enterprises, such as educators academies. This study describes the novel utilization of a logic model as an overarching framework for evaluating the impact of an interprofessional educators academy.

Methodology: Our project team investigated three years of AHEAD archives, which documented the variety of metrics associated with AHEAD’s establishment and its ongoing activities. We used archive data to assimilate a logic model that depicted the resources, processes and outcomes associated with provision of AHEAD’s mission, along with the external factors that influence these.

Results: Analysis of the resultant logic model illustrated that AHEAD has been most effective in its missions of FD (through monthly FD programming and the health professions certificate program) and R&I (through small grant awards and an annual celebration of health professions education). Analysis also showed that AHEAD is partially effective in its mission of R&P (through recognition of outstanding interprofessional educators), but data has been limited regarding academic promotion of its members.

Conclusion: This study has shown the novel utilization of a logic model for evaluation an educators academy to be highly valuable and informative. Analysis of the logic model illustrated that AHEAD has indeed had an impact at its institution, especially in its missions of FD and R&I.

Implications: This study has shown that using logic models for program evaluation of an academy worked. It enabled AHEAD leadership to collect valuable resources and analyze the complex processes involved in providing its mission. With these tools in place, leadership is prepared to strategically support the needs of its members to advance health professions education at Duke. Moreover, this framework for program evaluation may serve as a useful model for established as well as nascent educators academies.