Healthcare Managers/Executives/Administrators
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research was to measure the effectiveness of a chief resident leadership development program offered to Internal Medicine chief residents.
METHODOLOGY All 43 New Jersey Internal Medicine chief residents were invited to participate in the leadership program, and 31 completed pre- and post-test administrations (response rate = 72%) of the Leadership Practices Inventory– Self-Assessment and a leadership questionnaire created by the author. The typical respondent was a man (52%), international medical graduate (72%), from a community program (62%), and 30 years of age on average.
KEY FINDINGS The pre-test for the LPI revealed no significant differences between male and female residents, U.S. versus international graduates, or PGY-3 versus PGY 4/5 residents. Post-test, following the program, the frequency scores on all five practices increased, with Inspire reaching statistical significance levels. When asked if the program increased their interest in pursuing leadership training, 87 percent responded affirmatively. To the question, “How has this program changed your views on leadership?”, 47 percent were categorized in the theme of broadened perspectives about leadership, 41 percent referred to improved knowledge about leadership traits and principles, and 35 percent described the impact the program had on their view of themselves as a leader. The author concludes, “Ultimately, programs of this type address the need to inspire our future young physicians to consider themselves as future healthcare leaders, teach basic leadership skills, and encourage them to pursue additional healthcare leadership training. Professional organizations are in a good position to deliver these programs for chief residents as they have the ability to bring various chief residents from a discipline together and create a “leadership community” with mentors within the professional organization” (pp. 25-26).