[Big differences in leadership and management training within health care services. Leadership and issues concerning...

A recent survey of medical management programmes at universities across the country showed manifest national differences to exist, both quantitative and qualitative. Using a questionnaire, the Swedish Society of Medical Management examined the programmes for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses and physicians, with respect to such issues as leadership, self-awareness and communication, health economics, and administration. It was concluded that knowledge acquired differs between fields; that physiotherapy programmes tend to have a very didactic approach; that nurses are taught the importance of participation in developmental processes; that doctors are exposed to somewhat the same approach but to a large extent on a voluntary basis; and that social workers obtain good insight into the administrative skills necessary to their work. In the article it is concluded that students would benefit from orientation in the diverse approaches used in the other fields than their own, and that pooling of resources among different programmes might be a more economic alternative to current practice.