Enhancing Teaching Competence Through a Faculty Development Program: Impact of the Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCME) Program in a Tertiary Medical Institution

Background In many medical colleges, teaching often takes a backseat to patient care, research, and administrative responsibilities. Educators or the faculty are the foundation of any educational system. However, the medical colleges' faculties do not receive formal training in teaching technologies. The Workshop on Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCME), initiated as part of the National Medical Commission's (NMC) faculty development program, aims to enhance medical education by equipping faculty with essential teaching skills. The present study evaluates the workshop's impact on faculty development. Aims and objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of the BCME workshop in improving faculty knowledge and skills in medical education technology. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 faculty members from various departments of a Government Medical College in Maharashtra who had participated in the BCME workshop. A pre- and post-test design was used to assess changes in knowledge, while feedback was collected to evaluate session relevance and usefulness. The feedback form was a self-administered questionnaire, and its analysis was done using Microsoft Excel. Results The analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in knowledge following the workshop. The mean score improved from 5.3 (±2.1) in the pre-test to 21.4 (±4.2) in the post-test (p < 0.0001). The effect size (Cohen's d = 2.38) indicated a substantial educational impact of the intervention. Furthermore, faculty members reported that the sessions were highly relevant and valuable for their teaching roles. Conclusion The BCME workshop significantly improves faculty knowledge in medical education technology. However, regular monitoring and periodic refresher courses are recommended to develop skills further and sustain their application in enhancing medical education.