ADIIT — An Evidence-Based Maturity Model for Faculty Support Teams in the Health Professions

Faculty support teams in health professions education operate in a unique environment that can engender specific challenges in their operations and development. This paper introduces an evidence-based maturity model designed to support the establishment and growth of such teams. The ADIIT model, which is named for the five levels of maturity that such teams can attain: (1) Ad Hoc/Initial; (2) Defined; (3) Integrated; (4) Innovative; (5) Transformative, enables faculty support teams to assess their current state and identify areas for improvement. Key elements of performance included in the model are team, leadership, operations/focus, customer base, and auxiliary services. The paper describes criteria for each element at each level and provides guidance about how to advance to the next level. A fictional case study is provided to demonstrate the application of the maturity model. Using this model will help faculty support teams in health professions education to develop the high level of focus and professionalism necessary to navigate between and provide support for classroom education, distributed learning, and clinical education.