Transformational leadership competency: a cross-sectional study of medical university graduates in China

To explore the transformational leadership competency of graduates from one medical university in China and its influencing variables.

From 2020 to 2021, 851 medical graduates from seven hospitals affiliated with the Capital Medical University participated in this survey. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study to assess transformational leadership competency, particularly from three aspects, including values, Emotional Intelligence (EI) abilities, and behaviors using the socially responsible leadership scale (SRLS), emotionally intelligent leadership, and student leadership practices inventory (EILI and SLPI).

The SRLS scores were medium except for 'controversy with civility'. The EILI scores were medium. The SLPI scores were high except for 'enable others to act' and 'encourage the heart'. The influencing variables of SRLS, EILI, and SLPI were serving as student cadres, serving longer than two semesters (p = 0.01, 0.02 in EILI and SLPI), joining student organizations, participating in social practice, voluntary service (p = 0.001 in SLPI), in training classes for student cadres (p = 0.02, 0.01, 0.02 in SRLS, EILI, and SLPI), and attending lectures on leadership (except for indicated, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that attending lectures on leadership was associated with high SRLS, EILI, and SLPI scores (p = 0.04, SRLS; p < 0.001, others), and SRLS and EILI scores could affect SLPI score (F = 2674.44, p < 0.001, R² = 0.86).

Medical graduates' transformational leadership competency at the Capital Medical University was medium measured from values, EI abilities, and behaviors. Group analysis indicated that knowledge learning, organizational involvement, and social/community involvement were associated with leadership capacity building, meanwhile, leaders' values and EI abilities would affect their behaviors, suggesting medical graduates should undertake leadership training from both knowledge learning and practicing.