Abstract

Purpose: Leadership is noted as an essential, often overlooked, component of medical education, as it improves the physician’s ability to lead others. Existing literature shows that leadership training in undergraduate medical education (UME) differs widely among institutions. Interventions for leadership development have not been significantly documented with regard to their impact on medical students. The purpose of this study (IRB2022-1022) is to understand how a leadership seminar influenced medical students’ perceptions of their ability to lead other healthcare professionals.   

Methods: A leadership seminar was offered to 23 student government leaders from all four years. A mixed methods approach was used to collect and analyze data on their perceptions. A pre and post-seminar survey consisting of open-ended questions and a series of graded statements were administered. A combination of qualitative analysis on the open-ended responses and t-test on the scored statements allowed for subjective and objective reflections of the seminar’s influence.

Results: Comparing the responses from both surveys illustrated a change in perspective on the development of leadership and application of learned skills beyond the scope of the clinical team. The findings from the pre-seminar survey demonstrated a focus on individual abilities while responses gathered after the seminar focused on the role of the team and group dynamics. The t-test analysis showed that after the seminar, participants felt significantly more confident in being proactive when addressing group dynamics.

Conclusion: The impact of the study showed that participants reflected on their personal capabilities as leaders, while considering their role and other’s responsibilities on a team to achieve common goals. Leadership development in UME encourages medical students to assess their strengths and weaknesses and further apply learned skills to the medical field.

Presented at American Medical Association (AMA) Physicians of the Future Summit - Region 3 (Virtual) 2023

Accepted as a poster at International Association of Medical Science Educators 2023 Annual Conference