Introduction:
Faculty development in academic health centers often relies on structured workshops and didactic formats, which can limit engagement and cross-disciplinary dialogue. To create a more dynamic, reflective, and community-building experience, our institution launched Faculty Movie Night in 2018—a quarterly series using public health-themed films as a springboard for continuing education, networking, and interprofessional discussion.
Method:
Held quarterly on Monday evenings at a local movie theater during its off-peak hours, each Faculty Movie Night features a documentary or fiction film centered on a salient healthcare or academic theme—such as women’s faculty advancement, Alzheimer’s disease, team-based science, or public health policy. Sessions are sponsored to cover theater rental for a 30- to 50-seat room, ensuring free attendance. Attendees arrive for an informal networking hour with the option to purchase food and drinks, followed by the screening and a structured, facilitator-led pre/post discussion. Discussions focus on team dynamics, ethical dilemmas, systemic challenges, and lessons for academic health center environments.
Results:
Since its inception, Faculty Movie Night has hosted over a dozen events with attendance across disciplines and roles, including faculty, staff, trainees, and community partners. Participants consistently report increased insight into interprofessional dynamics and appreciation for the relaxed, collegial format. Qualitative feedback emphasizes the value of storytelling as a powerful tool for professional reflection and system-level learning. Topics such as mental health stigma, racial health disparities, and collaborative leadership have catalyzed thoughtful dialogue and practical application within attendees’ professional roles.
Conclusion:
Faculty Movie Night demonstrates a novel and sustainable approach to interprofessional faculty development that blends narrative engagement with community building and reflective learning. By leveraging film as a shared medium, the series fosters meaningful discussion across professional boundaries and reinforces key themes aligned with the IPEC competencies and the Quadruple Aim. This model can be easily replicated in other academic health centers seeking creative, community-based formats for workforce development.
Lightning Talk
Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm CDT
Keywords:
professional developmentworkforce developmentculture of collaborationreflective discourse