Endorsed by Duke AHEAD Steering Committee, November 18, 2015 (Last updated 11/18/15)

Significance

Health professions educators are characterized by a deep value for lifelong learning, and they make a commitment to model and instill this value in learners and colleagues.  Lifelong learning is ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated and as such, is an intrinsic component of one’s role as an educator. It involves identifying opportunities for improvement as an educator, developing and implementing a plan for continuous growth, engaging in formal and informal learning opportunities throughout life, and evaluating outcomes related to one’s expertise as an educator. Health professions educators focus on their individual learning needs as well as learning that will contribute to identifying systems-level educational improvement.

Specific Behaviors that Demonstrate a Commitment to Life Long Learning as an Educator

1.  Formulate personal goals related to continued development as an educator based on critical self-reflection, and feedback from learners, peers and administrators
2.  Participate in professional development opportunities to enhance one’s educational practice
3.  Keep current with evolving trends, issues and research related to education, as well as one’s area of practice  
4.  Implement a plan to meet personal educational goals, enhance educational practices, and continually develop one’s role as an educator
5.  Accept responsibility for role modeling lifelong learning for learners and colleagues