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Leadership and management in UK medical school curricula

Richard Jefferies (Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK)
Ibrahim H.N. Sheriff (GKT School of Medical Education, King’s College London, London, UK)
Jacob H. Matthews (College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK)
Olivia Jagger (Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, London, UK)
Sarah Curtis (St George’s Medical School, University of London, London, UK)
Peter Lees (Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, London, UK)
Peter C. Spurgeon (Institute of Clinical Leadership, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK)
Alex Oldman (Medical School, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK)
Ali Habib (Medical School, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK)
Azam Saied (Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK)
Jessica Court (College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK)
Marilena Giannoudi (School of Medical Education, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK)
Meelad Sayma (Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, UK)
Nicholas Ward (Manchester Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK)
Nick Cork (School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK)
Olamide Olatokun (University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, UK)
Oliver Devine (Medical School, University College London, London, UK)
Paul O'Connell (College of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, UK)
Phoebe Carr (School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK)
Rafail Angelos Kotronias (School of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK)
Rebecca Gardiner (Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK)
Rory T Buckle (College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK)
Ross J Thomson (University of Oxford Medical School, Oxford, UK)
Sarah Williams (St George’s Medical School, University of London, London, UK)
Simon J. Nicholson (The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)
Usman Goga (Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK)
Daniel Mark Fountain (School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK)

Journal of Health Organization and Management

ISSN: 1477-7266

Article publication date: 10 October 2016

2631

Abstract

Purpose

Although medical leadership and management (MLM) is increasingly being recognised as important to improving healthcare outcomes, little is understood about current training of medical students in MLM skills and behaviours in the UK. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study used validated structured interviews with expert faculty members from medical schools across the UK to ascertain MLM framework integration, teaching methods employed, evaluation methods and barriers to improvement.

Findings

Data were collected from 25 of the 33 UK medical schools (76 per cent response rate), with 23/25 reporting that MLM content is included in their curriculum. More medical schools assessed MLM competencies on admission than at any other time of the curriculum. Only 12 schools had evaluated MLM teaching at the time of data collection. The majority of medical schools reported barriers, including overfilled curricula and reluctance of staff to teach. Whilst 88 per cent of schools planned to increase MLM content over the next two years, there was a lack of consensus on proposed teaching content and methods.

Research limitations/implications

There is widespread inclusion of MLM in UK medical schools’ curricula, despite the existence of barriers. This study identified substantial heterogeneity in MLM teaching and assessment methods which does not meet students’ desired modes of delivery. Examples of national undergraduate MLM teaching exist worldwide, and lessons can be taken from these.

Originality/value

This is the first national evaluation of MLM in undergraduate medical school curricula in the UK, highlighting continuing challenges with executing MLM content despite numerous frameworks and international examples of successful execution.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Kirsten Armit and Tracy Lonetto for their contribution to the design of the study and comments on draft manuscripts.

The Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management Medical Students Group in the UK collaborated on this paper. Its members are: Alex Oldman, Medical School, University of Southampton; Ali Habib, Medical School, University of Leicester; Azam Saied, Medical School, University of Warwick; Jessica Court, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham; Marilena Giannoudi, School of Medical Education, Newcastle University; Meelad A. Sayma, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry; Nicholas Ward, Manchester Medical School, University of Manchester; Nick Cork, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge; Olamide Olatokun, University of Nottingham Medical School; Oliver Devine, Medical School, University College London; Paul O’Connell, College of Medicine, Swansea University; Phoebe Carr, School of Medicine, University of Liverpool; Rafail Angelos Kotronias, School of Medicine, Keele University; Rebecca Gardiner, Brighton and Sussex Medical School; Rory T. Buckle, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh; Ross J. Thomson, University of Oxford Medical School; Sarah Williams, St George’s Medical School, University of London; Simon J. Nicholson, The University of Sheffield and Usman Goga, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

Competing interests: all authors are members or associate members of the FMLM.

Citation

Jefferies, R., Sheriff, I.H.N., Matthews, J.H., Jagger, O., Curtis, S., Lees, P., Spurgeon, P.C., Oldman, A., Habib, A., Saied, A., Court, J., Giannoudi, M., Sayma, M., Ward, N., Cork, N., Olatokun, O., Devine, O., O'Connell, P., Carr, P., Angelos Kotronias, R., Gardiner, R., Buckle, R.T., Thomson, R.J., Williams, S., Nicholson, S.J., Goga, U. and Fountain, D.M. (2016), "Leadership and management in UK medical school curricula", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 30 No. 7, pp. 1081-1104. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-03-2016-0042

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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