Pulling Back the Curtain: Exploring Norms and Practices of Anatomy-related Departments in U.S. Medical Schools

Abstract Body : Introduction & Objective: Within medical education, programs often use national datasets as comparative baselines and to identify areas for improvement. While anatomy-related departments have access to comparative research productivity data (e.g., Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research), there are no annually maintained datasets for comparing departments’ demographics, educational offerings, or general practice models. This study investigated practice trends in anatomy-related departments across the U.S.

Materials & Methods: A 27-item national survey was administered through Qualtrics to leaders of anatomy-related departments among U.S. allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. The survey inquired about i) faculty time allocations, ii) faculty labor distribution models, iii) anatomy teaching services offered, and iv) faculty compensation practices pertaining to merit/cost-of-living increases and bonuses.

Results: A total of 35 departments (of 195) responded to the survey. This sample was representative of national demographics. On average, anatomy educators are allotted 24% (range=0-80%) of their time for research, irrespective of funding, 62.0% for teaching and course administration (range=5-90%), 11.7% for service, and 2.3% for administration. Forty-four percent (15 of 34) of responding departments taught at least 5 different student populations, often across multiple colleges. Many departments (65%; 11 of 17) applied formulaic methods for determining faculty workloads, often as a function of course credits or contact hours. Reported average base salaries for ‘instructors’ through ‘associate professors’ were consistent (p≥0.272) with national means (i.e., AAMC Annual Faculty Salary Report). Merit salary increases and bonuses were most frequently determined according to faculty productivity and chairperson evaluations. Bonuses averaged 10.1% of the total base salary among the schools offering them (n=10). Cost-of-living increases averaged 3.1%; consistent with the mean U.S. inflation rate of 3.8% per year (1960 to 2021).

Conclusion & Significance: This dataset allows anatomy-related departments to compare their practices and reflect upon their competitiveness in recruiting and retaining faculty. Overall, departments’ workload and compensation practices vary widely, likely a consequence of different institutional cultures, locations, and needs.