Preparing anesthesiology residents to lead: a leadership seminar

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss a unique leadership curriculum developed at the University of Florida and its impact on the leadership skills and values of the anesthesiology residents since its conception. The authors instituted a voluntary anesthesiology residency leadership development program at their institution to fill a perceived gap in leadership training. Mounting evidence reveals that strong clinical leadership skills improve outcomes for patients and health-care institutions. Additionally, this growing body of literature indicates that optimal outcomes result from effective team behaviors and skills, which are directed through the requisite clinical leadership. Unfortunately, adding leadership training into the existing medical education curriculum is a formidable challenge regardless of the level of learner.

Design/methodology/approach

To evaluate learners, the authors used the Aspiring leaders in Healthcare-Empowering individuals, Achieving excellence, Developing talents instrument, which is a validated and reliable assessment of leadership competency in health-care professionals. In 2017, the authors surveyed the past five graduating classes from the department (classes of 2012-2016), using the two graduating classes before the program’s implementation as a historical control group.

Findings

The survey was sent to 96 people, of whom 70 responded (73 per cent). Those participants who usually or always participated in the program responded with higher leadership-readiness skills scores than those who occasionally, rarely or never participated in the program. Notably, those who had participated in another leadership development course at any time had higher skills scores than those who had never participated.

Originality/value

The study’s data provide evidence that residents who either, often or always participated in the leadership development program perceived themselves to be better equipped to become effective health-care leaders as opposed to residents who never, rarely or occasionally participated.

Citation

Cobb, D., Martin, T.W., Vasilopoulos, T., Black, E.W. and Giordano, C.R. (2020), "Preparing anesthesiology residents to lead: a leadership seminar", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 101-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-06-2019-0035