Effective leadership--the way to excellence in health professions education

The current times are witnessing an explosion of new knowledge in medicine. The demographic profile, geographic distribution of many diseases is changing, there have been dramatic shifts in the health care delivery, healthcare professionals are more socially and professionally accountable, patients have become more consumerist in their attitude. These factors coupled with the increasing demand for trained health care professionals has led to, firstly, a rapid increase in the health professionals education institutions and secondly curricular changes and adoption of newer teaching learning methodologies, to equip the graduates with the desirable outcomes. The scene in health professions education is one characterized by rapid activity and change. A time which demands effective leadership at these institutions for achieving excellence. Drawing from a decade long experience, at different medical schools in the gulf region, the author opines that it is effective leadership, as observed at the institutions where he worked, which is responsible for realization of institutional vision, rapid development and achievement of excellence.