Teaching and leadership opportunities for undergraduates: A cause for postgraduate worry?

Dear Sir

I read with great interest the article by Jackson (2012) discussing the need for the development in teaching and leadership within the medical profession. It is likely that there are two components resulting in the shift away from teaching and leadership which may be initiated at medical school: the pull towards research and push away from teaching and leadership.

The pull towards research may stem from the drive at medical school to publish research since it ideally helps bolster CVs not only in undergraduate life but indeed for a successful postgraduate career. This is reflected in the UK Foundation Programme for this year which rewards students who publish research papers and present their work at inter/national conferences (Foundation Programme 2012). Both methods lend themselves to distinct methods of recognition thereby allowing confirmation on the application relatively easily.

Conversely, recognition of initiative taken for teaching or leadership opportunities is reserved only for the minority applying for the Academic Foundation Programme. Those with so-called natural talents will no doubt be attracted to academic careers where adequate provision will be made to develop those talents. Despite this, the General Medical Council explicitly discusses the importance of the ability to teach and lead for all doctors in its cornerstone text, Good Medical Practice. Whilst there is a definite need to recognise those who display these attributes at undergraduate level, an inherent difficulty lies in providing evidence on applications. With research, journal references and conference details suffice but there are few nationally recognised teaching and leadership courses at undergraduate level.

Natural talents often show themselves early but nevertheless require development throughout a career. Until more emphasis is placed on accredited training opportunities and its recognition on Foundation Programme applications, leadership and teaching will continue to suffer at the expense of research during an undergraduate career with a knock-on effect into postgraduate life as a doctor.