Developing physician leaders: why, whether, and how good?

Abstract

The challenges of providing high-quality, seamless access, and value in health care require great leadership; these needs are compounded by crises like the coronavirus pandemic. In the context that physicians often lead both in titled and informal leadership roles and that evidence associates effective hospital performance with physician leadership, leadership skills are widely needed by doctors. Yet, leadership competencies are not traditionally taught in medical school or during graduate medical training. Furthermore, some aspects of clinical training may conspire against physicians’ developing optimal leadership traits. The tension between need and preparation highlights the imperative to develop physicians’ leadership competencies. Increasingly, physician leadership development programs are being offered, e.g., by some health care organizations, professional societies, business schools, and consulting firms. Still, many unanswered questions beyond the “why” surround such programs: what is the best way to develop physician leaders and are such programs effective? This article considers the rationale for developing physician leaders as well as some leadership handicaps that physicians face by virtue of their clinical training. Attention then turns to considering the evidence regarding the effectiveness of such programs and framing remaining questions for further study.