Preparedness of medical students and junior doctors for their role as clinical leaders: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical leadership skills are essential across all levels of a healthcare organization and must be employed by those most appropriate to the situation, regardless of position or profession. However, most medical students and junior doctors remain unaware of how leadership can be assimilated into their everyday clinical practice.

Aim: To investigate the perceived preparedness of medical students and junior doctors for their role as clinical leaders.

Methods: A systematic search was performed of the MEDLINE, ERIC and PubMed databases. Papers pertaining to medical students and junior doctors that included primary data on preparedness for clinical leadership or behaviors associated with being a clinical leader were included.

Results: Sixteen papers were included and analyzed after screening 254. No studies specifically assessed the transition to clinical leader. Evidence suggests that new graduates perceive leadership as individualistic and hierarchical, and that they are only partially prepared to fill this role. Preparedness for clinical leadership was associated with increasing responsibility, experience and time-served.

Conclusions: New graduates are unlikely to question senior colleagues as they lack leadership-specific communication skills. Further research is required into how to actively promote leadership in medical students and ease the transition to leadership roles within clinical teams.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Glossary

Leader – A person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal.

Follower – A person who is influenced by a leader and empowered to facilitate the achievement of a goal.

Leadership – A process of social influence between human beings that steers a group towards achieving a goal or vision.

Followership – A process of social influence between a group of human beings and a leader to support the achievement of a goal or vision.

Transformational leadership – A process of influence that a leader uses to bring about transformation of their followers and their work to lead organizations through periods of significant or continuous change

Leadership development – A longitudinal process to develop leadership skills involving multiple individuals at multiple levels to enhance an organizations overall capacity for leadership.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tracey Barnes

Dr Tracey Barnes, BSc(Hons), MBChB(Hons), MClinEd(Hons), is a registrar on the New Zealand General Surgical Training Program. She has a special interest in medical education and clinical leadership and has just completed a research masters degree in Clinical Education at the University of Auckland.

Tzu-Chieh Wendy Yu

Dr Tzu-Chieh Wendy Yu, MBChB, PhD, is a Lecturer in Medical Education and an Urgent Care Physician. Her research interests include the professional development of medical students and vocational trainees, simulation-based education, and clinical workplace learning.

Craig S. Webster

Assoc. Prof. Craig Webster, BSc, MSc(Hons), PhD, is a psychologist with the Center for Medical and Health Sciences Education and the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Auckland. He has been conducting research in human factors, teamwork performance, and patient safety in healthcare for over 20 years.