Leader-Follower dynamics within medical students’ groups during clinical rotations

Abstract

[EN] Clinical practical training is a common practice and a requirement for many medical professions in the U.S.A. This training often lacks in managerial and leadership training, leaving many future practitioners poorly prepared for the challenges and requirements of leadership roles. The complexity of the healthcare system brings about new challenges in terms of leadership, with the development of leadership skills for practicing physicians becoming even more crucial. This study analyzed a sample of students and resident doctors in a psychiatric setting during their clinical rotation. The particularities of the observed emergence of leadership within the scope of multiple theoretical frameworks in the field of leadership were analyzed by calculating the median values of each set of survey responses. The study found that biological sex did not play a significant role in Leader emergence (p=0.74), Followers scored Leaders highly overall, and Leaders showed that they had a solid insight into their own capacities and limitations. Overall, strong leadership qualities were identified across all theoretical frameworks with valuable implications for the development of future leadership training. More research is needed to test this methodology in different medical settings and to identify the most effective type of leadership training for clinical education.