Enhancing a Faculty Development Program: Identifying and Addressing Leadership Skill Gaps Using an Established...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare leadership
• Faculty development
• Academic medicine

Background:

• Healthcare leaders significantly influence workforce engagement.
• Leadership development programs are essential for healthcare institutions.
• Weill Cornell Medicine offers the Leadership in Academic Medicine Program (LAMP) for early career faculty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify leadership skills most challenging for LAMP participants.
• To apply an evidence-based leadership model to address identified challenges.
• To enhance the LAMP curriculum based on participant feedback and leadership principles.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of pre- and post-program surveys from LAMP participants (2013-2023).
• Assessment of participant agreement with statements on leadership and professional skills.
• Identification of persistent leadership discomfort areas by comparing pre- and post-program disagreement levels.

Main Results:

• 328 paired responses were analyzed.
• Three areas of persistent leadership discomfort were identified: Negotiating, Managing Competing Demands, and Managing Conflict.
• These discomfort areas were successfully cross-referenced with teachable behaviors in an established leadership model.

Conclusions:

• Leadership behaviors positively impacting healthcare workers can address skill gaps.
• Faculty development programs can be enhanced by incorporating evidence-based leadership training.
• Targeted curriculum additions can improve leadership competencies in early career faculty.