Faculty engagement taskforce realizes new volunteer opportunities

Effective engagement of our community is important for moving AO North America’s mission forward. There is a lot to be done and a place for everyone.  We just need a systematic way to help volunteers navigate the system, contribute, and develop both personally and professionally.

AO Trauma North America has over 500 active faculty. For a while now, our process has consisted of approved faculty completing a faculty education program (FEP) and waiting for their opportunity to teach at a course.  

Historically, the wait time to teach is anywhere from 2-3 years. The AO Trauma NA clinical division has several motivated and passionate volunteers who are waiting for their turn to contribute to AO Trauma NA education and other activities.

A new approach to keeping faculty engaged was needed to address the backlog, the wait times, and allow members of the Trauma community to participate in different activities available through the clinical division as soon as their applications are approved.

Changing the perception that teaching at a course is the only way to be a part of the AO North America community

This new engagement process allows for the Trauma Board and its committees (education, fellowship, community development, and research) to match a surgeon’s interests with available opportunities other than teaching.  Our hope is that more volunteers will be able to participate sooner, our community will become more diverse, and a new pathway will be formed for those involved to progress through AO NA. 

A Faculty Engagement Trauma Taskforce under the leadership of Dr. Roger Wilber has been working for a few months now to define the process and implement it. Taskforce members Drs. Carla Smith, Ari Levine, and Gillian Soles have defined ways in which we can keep surgeons actively engaged, with the goal of changing the perception that teaching at a course is the only way to be a part of the AO North America community.  

The taskforce has streamlined the process to gather the needs from the different trauma committees to offer ways to engage those interested. A new faculty engagement form has been developed and will be available on our website shortly. The form collects profile information and gathers specific responses related to various engagement areas and corresponding interest levels.

Based on responses received, opportunities will be matched with interests and the taskforce will provide the necessary support for a volunteer to succeed. Each participant will receive a customized experience, including performance feedback, coaching, and guidance as they progress through the pathway.

The Trauma Board will review applications twice a year: spring and fall. In spring of 2022, we hope to match the interests and offer opportunities to those that are already approved. In fall, we will begin to accept new applicants.

Please bear with us as we work through the details of implementing the process.  More information will be shared in fall when we are ready to accept new applications.

Sincerely,

Faculty Engagement Taskforce,