Designing a Faculty Development Program on Electronic Question Banks: Schedule, Evaluation, and Sustainability Plan

In the field of medical education delivery, Electronic Question Banks (EQBs) occupy a special place, as they can aid in both teaching–learning and assessment of medical students. EQBs can be used to assess different levels in the Bloom’s Taxonomy for Cognitive Domain, and this essentially includes exposure to critical thinking, and the ability of the students to apply theoretical knowledge into clinical practice. Acknowledging the multiple merits of EQB, an exclusive 1-day offline training program can be planned for the faculty members. The proposed Faculty Development Program (FDP) is planned after carrying out a needs assessment and will comprise interactive hands-on sessions, wherein initially resource persons will demonstrate specific activities related to the operationalization of EQBs, and subsequently participants will be asked to perform the same under the guidance of facilitators and along with their group members. To evaluate the effectiveness of the FDP, the Kirkpatrick model of program evaluation has been selected and specific criteria have been set under each level. Finally, a well-thought-out sustainability plan has also been proposed to ensure that the training does not remain a standalone activity, rather it is institutionalized, and the benefits of the same can be extended to students, which will aid them in their journey to become competent medical graduates.