MedEdPORTAL (Aug 2015)
Residents as Leaders: A Comprehensive Guide to Establishing a Leadership Development Program for Postgraduate Trainees
Abstract
Abstract Introduction This document is written for teachers and organizers of physician leadership development programs, specifically those programs aimed at residents or fellows in training. It describes a leadership development program aimed at postgraduate trainees and includes the application and selection process, the curriculum, and the framework used to evaluate the program and assess participants' reaction, learning, and behavior outcomes. Methods The Residents as Leaders program (RaLs) consists of a 5-day face-to-face course followed by a longitudinal leadership practical experience. Program organizers are in contact with the trainees in advance of the 5-day course to guide them in elaborating their leadership project. The course is held off-site and trainees are excused of all clinical responsibility, including call duties, during this time to allow them to fully focus on the leadership development activities. Over the subsequent 12 months, trainees carry out their project and complete brief periodic activities based on that work intended to guide their project development and prompt reflection on leadership skill development. The program was first offered in 2009 to 12 participants. In total, the 115 participants have ranged from PGY1 through to fellowship and represent 29 different specialty and subspecialty postgraduate programs (including family medicine). Results The program evaluation is ongoing. Data analysis to date documents high levels of participant and speaker satisfaction with the course. The pre/post self-assessment of leadership knowledge and skills demonstrates significant enhancement in all categories. The survey conducted three months after the course confirms an overall improvement in knowledge and skills, with more that 80% of respondents rating their level of improvement as some or significant. The majority of respondents at three months had applied their new skills. Barriers and facilitators to the application of leadership skills were primarily the lack of opportunity and systems and processes within the organization. Approximately 75% of the last two cohorts' participants completed the project requirement. Discussion The course has been well received, has ongoing support of the Faculty, the program directors and the participants and has required few modifications over seven cohorts of evaluation and feedback. The program is resource intensive and offered to a highly selected number of participants. We are exploring options to create modules from individual course offerings which may extend the reach of the material to residency programs.
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