15 July 2025, Authors: Katyon Warrick, Anna Agyare, Fiona Chalk, Khong Hern Low - Acknowledgement - Dr Hoda Wassif
Empirical Evaluation: Lessons Learned
Several empirical studies have examined the experiences of clinicians transitioning into academic roles. Key findings are discussed below.
Mentorship and Support:
According to Stratton-Maher, Kelly, and Livesay (2023), clinicians transitioning into academic roles face a range of emotional and professional challenge. However, successful transitions are often supported by mentorship programmes, where new clinicians are paired with experienced educators who provide guidance, support, and valuable insight into navigating academic responsibilities and challenges.
Peer Support also plays a crucial role in easing this transition. Clinicians can connect with others who have successfully made the transition, sharing experiences, challenges, and strategies. These interactions foster a sense of belonging, reduce feelings of isolation, and provide practical advice for overcoming obstacles (Stratton-Maher, Kelly, and Livesay, 2023).
For those interested in research, university research teams and forums offer valuable opportunities for mentorship, guidance, and networking. Engaging with research lead and meetings can help clinicians explores new areas of interest, gain support, and develop their academic careers (Stratton-Maher, Kelly, and Livesay, 2023).
A successful transition hinges on an onboarding experience that effectively supports new nurse educators. This approach helps alleviate uncertainty and anxiety, enhances their understanding of the new setting, fosters relationship-building, and facilitates the acquisition of knowledge necessary for them to thrive in their new roles (Rogers et al., 2020).
Logan et al. (2016) and McDermid et al. (2016) highlight that inexperienced academics often lack guidance on effective teaching methods, making mentorship and peer support essential for their transition into educational roles. Additionally, Agger et al. (2017) emphasise that mentorship is a key factor in professional success across various organisational settings, including nursing education. To address these challenges, scholars suggest developing a structured transition model tailored for novice nurse educators. Such a model would provide universities with strategies to improve onboarding, enhance teaching confidence, and ensure a sustainable workforce of nursing academics in the future (Stratton-Maher, Kelly, and Livesay, 2023).
Structured Transition Program
Transitioning from clinical practice to academia presents unique challenges, and a study of novice nurse academics at six Australian universities highlighted a critical gap in preparation (Stratton-Maher, Kelly, and Livesay, 2023). The findings emphasised the need for universities to implement personalised and supportive onboarding processes to equip new educators for success. This research led to the development of the NOVICE transition model: a comprehensive framework designed to guide clinicians through their academic journey. Key components—such as career pathways, onboarding roadmaps, institutional preparation, mentorship, and a strong community of practice—ensure that new academics receive structured support, fostering a sense of belonging while strengthening their teaching and research skills.
Efficient Ongoing Mentorship – Mentorship plays a crucial role in guiding clinicians through the complexities of academic life. A structured mentorship programme helps new lecturers navigate research expectations, teaching methodologies, and institutional culture, ensuring they feel supported throughout their transition.
Institutional Academic Preparation – Universities can provide tailored training programmes that equip clinicians with essential academic skills, such as curriculum development, assessment strategies, and research methodologies. This preparation bridges the gap between clinical expertise and pedagogical proficiency, allowing educators to integrate their practical experience into effective teaching.
Community of Practice (CoP) – Establishing a collaborative network where transitioning clinicians engage with experienced academics fosters a culture of shared learning and professional growth. Through peer discussions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and resource sharing, clinicians can confidently adapt to academic roles while maintaining their clinical insights. By emphasising these components, the NOVICE model creates a structured and supportive environment that facilitates a seamless transition from clinical practice to academia. Would you like to explore how universities can implement these strategies effectively?
Stratton-Maher, Kelly, and Livesay (2023) developed the NOVICE Targeted Transition Model in response to findings that preparedness for novice nurse academics was insufficient across six Australian universities. Their study highlights the need for a structured, individualised, and supportive onboarding process to help clinicians transition successfully into academic roles.
Purpose of the NOVICE Model
The NOVICE model serves as a blueprint for universities, outlining key interventions and strategies to facilitate a smooth transition for new nurse academics. While designed for nursing education, its principles can also be applied to other healthcare disciplines.
Key Components of the NOVICE Model
The acronym NOVICE represents six essential elements:
Nurse Academic Career Pathway – Provides clear guidance on career progression, helping novice academics understand their professional trajectory.
Onboarding Roadmap – Establishes a structured process for integrating new academics into their roles, ensuring clarity and support from the start.
Valued and Belonging in Academia – Fosters a sense of inclusion and confidence, addressing imposter syndrome and professional identity challenges.
Institutional Professional Academic Preparation – Offers targeted training and development to equip novice academics with essential teaching, research, and leadership skills.
Community of Practice (CoP) – Encourages collaboration, shared learning, and peer support among educators to strengthen professional networks.
Efficient Ongoing Mentorship – Provides sustained guidance and mentorship, ensuring long-term support beyond initial onboarding.
NOVICE: targeted transition model
Acknowledgement: Stratton-Maher et al. (2023)
Recognition of Clinical Expertise
Academic institutions that value and integrate clinical expertise into their curricula often see more successful transitions. Clinicians bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience that can enhance the learning experience for students, closing the gap between theory and practical aspects. This form of authentic assessment helps prepare students for their future roles.
Balancing Clinical and Academic Roles: Clinicians who maintain a part-time clinical practice while transitioning to academia often report higher satisfaction levels. This balance allows them to stay connected to patient care while developing their academic skills. It's crucial to review the workload and the student-to-staff ratio to ensure we maintain a healthy work-life balance for our educators.
Drop into lessons
This practice allows experienced educators to observe new educators in action, providing them with immediate feedback and support. New educators need to know if they are meeting expectations and if they are effective before it is too late. This is also very much in line with our peer observation policy. In addition to being observed, new educators can tremendously benefit from observing others. While peer observation holds significant value, it is equally essential to acknowledge the support that new lecturers may require in developing curricula or designing modules.
Peer support and mentorship can help new academics share coping strategies for the pressures of academia, helping to maintain mental health and well-being. It's crucial to do everything possible to ensure new staff lecturers make social connections, especially with as many positive and effective colleagues as possible, to foster a supportive and collaborative environment.
Conclusion
Successfully transitioning from clinical practice to academia requires structured support and mentorship. Universities play a crucial role in this transition by providing comprehensive onboarding, targeted training, and ongoing professional development to equip clinicians with the necessary skills to excel in their new roles.
By fostering a supportive academic environment, institutions empower clinicians to integrate their expertise into research and education, strengthening the connection between practice and academia. Investing in these strategies not only benefits educators but also enhances student learning experiences, ensuring they receive high-quality education from well-supported faculty. Furthermore, when new lecturers feel valued, supported, and connected, they are more likely to remain in academia, contributing to a stable and experienced workforce. Ultimately, this leads to improved healthcare education, better-prepared graduates, and enhanced patient care, contributing to a stable and experienced workforce that benefits both universities and the broader healthcare sector.
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