Aims Leadership is relevant and important to all Specialties. And the Leaders of tomorrow are the Student Doctors of today. There is a need for training, and Leadership and Management is a skill that can be learnt.

Methods To our knowledge, this was the first time in a UK Medical School that the Edward Jenner Leadership Program has been piloted for all First Year Medical Students. At Sheffield University Medical School the Leadership Training was launched and offered within 3 months of starting Year One. Pre and post questionnaires were used to evaluate learning and outcomes. The training was free and all online, requiring approximately 15 to 35 hours completed over no more than 6 months, with extensions if required. n=52 students opted in to the program.

Results

• There was a 23% increase in confidence to build team capacity.

• There was a 9% increase in confidence to build positive working relationships.

• There was a 17% increase in confidence to undertake various team roles including, where appropriate, demonstrating leadership.

• There was a 10% increase in confidence to undertake various team roles including, where appropriate, the ability to accept and support leadership by others.

• There was a 47% increase in confidence to demonstrate awareness of the role of doctors in contributing to the leadership of the health service.

• 48% enjoyed doing the Leadership Training course.

• 62% thought the Leadership Training course had made them a better leader.

Results Conclusions

The Results support explicit encouragement of Leadership Development in Year One of Medical School. This would preferentially be followed up in Years 2–5 with appropriate lectures, small group work, mentoring, and on the job learning with a reflective diary, and potentially through completion of additional NHS Leadership Academy programs.