Perceived barriers to medical leadership training and methods to mitigate them in the undergraduate medical curriculum: A mixed-methods study of final-year medical students at two medical schools

Abstract

Introduction: Effective leadership is vital for high-quality healthcare. Despite progress in leadership development for junior doctors, studies reflect perceptions that junior doctors feel underprepared for leadership. This study aims to understand medical students' perceptions about barriers to effective leadership training and how to mitigate these.

Methods: This was a mixed-methods study utilising focus group interviews structured using four trigger questions. Qualitative narrative responses underwent quantitative inductive coding applied by two independent coders. Commonly occurring codes underwent thematic analysis to understand underpinning themes.

Results: Thirty-one students were interviewed from King's College London (n=24) and St George's, University of London (n=7). Cohen's kappa statistic of inter-rater reliability was 0.73. The priority areas were the equity of teaching, implemented approaches and methods of assessing competency. The study presents a driver diagram summarising findings.

Conclusion: This study presents medical students' perceptions about barriers to effective leadership training in current undergraduate curriculum and interventions to mitigate these.

Keywords: Leadership; medical curricula; medical student.