Huikko-Tarvainen Sari, Tuovinen Timo, Kulmala Petri
Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2025 Jun 30;12:23821205251355072. doi: 10.1177/23821205251355072. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
Leadership education in medical curricula lacks clear guidelines on which specific leadership skills should be emphasized at different stages. This study examines the valued traits of physician leaders as perceived by first- and final-year medical students, aiming to support stage-specific leadership education.
In 2021, online questionnaires were administered to first- and final-year medical students, with participation rates of 90% (104/116) and 79% (86/109), respectively. Responses to the open-ended question, "How would you describe a good physician leader?" were analyzed using qualitative inductive content analysis to identify valued traits, followed by thematization and comparative analysis between groups. Furthermore, trait frequency was quantified to assess its prevalence.
Both groups shared core values, but the emphasis of specific traits shifted as students progressed through medical school. While both groups valued communication, fairness, approachability, empathy, and professionalism, final-year students placed greater emphasis on decisiveness, authority, and the ability to navigate complex clinical and administrative challenges. This comparison underscores the evolving understanding of leadership throughout medical education.
These findings suggest that leadership education in medical curricula would benefit from a gradual and adaptive approach that aligns with students' evolving needs. Early-stage medical education should emphasize interpersonal skills, communication, emotional intelligence, accountability, and ethical decision-making. As students gain clinical experience, the focus should broaden to include decisiveness, strategic thinking, operational management, and decision-making under pressure. Integrating leadership training progressively throughout medical education, with increasing exposure to ethical and practical leadership challenges, may better prepare students for the complexities of contemporary healthcare leadership roles.
医学课程中的领导力教育缺乏关于在不同阶段应强调哪些特定领导技能的明确指导方针。本研究调查了医学一年级和最后一年学生所认为的医师领导者的重要特质，旨在为特定阶段的领导力教育提供支持。
2021年，对医学一年级和最后一年学生进行了在线问卷调查，参与率分别为90%（104/116）和79%（86/109）。对开放式问题“你如何描述一位优秀的医师领导者？”的回答采用定性归纳内容分析法进行分析，以确定重要特质，随后进行主题化和组间比较分析。此外，对特质出现的频率进行量化以评估其普遍性。
两组都有共同的核心价值观，但随着学生在医学院学习进程的推进，对特定特质的强调有所变化。虽然两组都重视沟通、公平、平易近人、同理心和专业精神，但最后一年的学生更加强调果断、权威以及应对复杂临床和管理挑战的能力。这种比较突显了在整个医学教育过程中对领导力理解的不断演变。
这些发现表明，医学课程中的领导力教育将受益于一种与学生不断变化的需求相适应的渐进式方法。医学早期教育应强调人际交往技能、沟通、情商、责任感和道德决策。随着学生获得临床经验，重点应扩大到包括果断、战略思维、运营管理以及在压力下的决策。在整个医学教育过程中逐步整合领导力培训，增加对道德和实际领导力挑战的接触，可能会使学生更好地为当代医疗保健领导角色的复杂性做好准备。
