Faculty Retreats in Academic Medicine: Tutorial

Abstract

Faculty development is a cornerstone of academic medicine, supporting personal growth, professional advancement, and departmental effectiveness across all stages of a faculty member's career. Among the tools available, faculty retreats have increasingly emerged as a high-impact strategy to foster collaboration, advance strategic planning, and address individual and collective goals in a structured, reflective setting. While retreats are widely used in other sectors, practical guidance tailored to the academic medicine context remains limited. This tutorial offers a comprehensive, step-by-step framework for planning and implementing faculty retreats within academic departments. Key elements of effective retreat design are outlined, including (1) conducting a preretreat needs assessment to align goals with faculty priorities, (2) selecting an appropriate format (eg, in-person or hybrid), (3) fostering psychological safety to enhance participation, and (4) using facilitation techniques that promote inclusive dialogue and actionable outcomes. The tutorial also emphasizes logistical considerations, such as agenda design, timing, and participant engagement strategies, alongside mechanisms to ensure follow-up and accountability after the retreat. In addition to highlighting common barriers, such as resource limitations, scheduling constraints, and engagement disparities, the tutorial provides practical solutions drawn from real-world examples in academic medicine. By integrating thoughtful planning, evidence-informed facilitation, and postretreat follow-through, faculty retreats can serve as transformative experiences that support both individual development and departmental cohesion. This resource aims to fill a gap in the literature by equipping leaders in academic medicine with a structured approach to designing, executing, and sustaining the benefits of faculty retreats.

Keywords: academic medicine; faculty development; faculty retreat; medical education; organizational leadership.

Figure 1.. Key agenda design tips.