Can faculty development be a developmental experience? A case study of instruction to the double for basic scientists in a medical school

Faculty development is characterised by a tension between the need to address both institutional goals and personal growth. However, a lot of options for faculty members remain top-down, with learning objectives imposed on them through workshops. This paper explores the feasibility of using instruction to the double, a socioconstructivist method originating from activity clinics in work psychology, as a participant-driven approach to faculty development. The method aims to develop workers’ power to act by examining concrete work activities through facilitated interviews, during which participants describe their tasks in sufficient detail for the facilitator to hypothetically replace them at work. In our intervention, faculty members discussed the challenges of holding meetings. Recurring themes included the underestimated complexity of meeting preparation, limited engagement and effectiveness, diversity of practices within the same institution and the presence of hidden agendas. The intervention proved feasible, with full participant retention over a one-year series of workshops. Participants reported enhanced capacity to reflect on their work, identify constraints, and experiment with changes to improve their working conditions. However, its effects remain difficult to quantify, and successful implementation requires sustained institutional support.