The university of queensland medical leadership program: a case study

Changes in modern healthcare's provision, complexity, and workforce demands provide a compelling rationale for an increasing emphasis on leadership development at all levels of training within the medical profession. Undergraduate medical education has traditionally focused on the development of clinical acumen with little emphasis on the development of leadership skills or on the operational and systemic issues surrounding healthcare delivery. Incorporating leadership education and competencies presents a number of challenges to medical schools, including defining the subject area, determining the specific skills and knowledge bases that should constitute the basis of the program, and optimizing training to be integrated into the existing clinical curriculum. We present a case study of the Medical Leadership Program at The University of Queensland School of Medicine that runs concurrent to the undergraduate medical degree. We outline the inception of the program, its aims, participant selection, and program components and reflect on the program to date.