Developing a Clinical Leadership Competency Framework for Surgical Residents: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Leadership Studies

Background:

• Competency-based medical education (CBME) prepares students for essential needs.
• Clinical leadership is a fundamental competency for physicians and high-quality healthcare.
• Surgical residents require specific leadership skills for effective practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a clinical leadership competency framework for surgical residents.
• To tailor leadership competencies to the unique demands of surgical practice.
• To enhance the training of future surgical leaders.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative conventional content analysis.
• Purposive sampling of surgical specialists.
• Semi-structured interviews analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Main Results:

• A framework with 3 overarching domains: Technical and Non-Technical Skills, Leadership and Management of Interprofessional Teams, and Organizational Optimization and Transformation.
• The analysis yielded 121 codes, 26 subcategories, and 10 categories.
• A comprehensive clinical leadership competency framework was established.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework offers a structured approach for integrating clinical leadership into surgical residency.
• This integration is vital for improving healthcare performance.
• Enhanced leadership training can lead to better patient care outcomes.