Building Medical Leaders

Abstract

Professionalism and Leadership is one of the four themes underpinning the ANU Medical School curriculum. Legal and ethical considerations are addressed before moving to professionalism in the work place and teamwork. The chance to learn the skills and attributes that underpin leadership would further equip students and aid the development of the next generation of medical leaders. The clinical environment is one that demands leadership from key individuals, yet these individuals are trained and promoted predominantly based on clinical acumen without consideration of their leadership ability, nor is there structured support for its development. The aim of this project was to build and implement a Medical Leadership Program for the ANU Medical School. The author, a student of the ANU Medical School, took part in the ANU Vice Chancellor’s Student Leadership Program. The skills developed during the Vice Chancellor’s program were applied to the process of building a Medical Leadership Program (MLP) for the ANU Medical School (ANUMS). Key stakeholder’s were engaged in the process of program design and development, and a structure and timeline for a pilot program was agreed to by all parties. Funding sources were identified and established, a candidate selection criteria and process was developed, and program promotion began. The ANUMS MLP was launched as a pilot program in March 2016. The launch of the MLP by the ANUMS seeks to build the next generation of medical leaders for the ACT. Successful transition from a pilot to an established program will be dependent on program success and support.