Introduction Leadership and management (L&M) experience is valued by junior doctors, although most feel unprepared to implement even local changes.¹ Suggestions have been proposed for developing leadership in trainees, but without appraising juniors’ current leadership opportunities.^1–3 Thus, we investigated L&M experiences amongst a group of junior doctors.

Method We surveyed 97 junior doctors in a teaching hospital in Devon to ascertain their opinions of healthcare L&M and to quantify their opportunities for leadership. Multiple choice and free-text answers were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Results The majority of respondents were aged under 30, FY1 - CT2 grades and based in Medical, General Practice and Obstetrics and Gynaecology training posts.

Leadership and management were considered important for both career development and clinical practice, despite a lack of L&M training or formal leadership roles (93%). Most respondents (71%) cited a paucity of L&M development within clinical training programmes, with most respondents describing average to poor opportunities to develop these skills (91%).

Trainees exhibited leadership most during: ward rounds (74%); quality improvement and audit work (73%); board rounds (55%); mentoring sessions (39%); and on-call work (26%). Most would welcome further L&M training, preferring grade-specific sessions (84%) and regional courses (61%) over other forms of training. However, few were aware of local and national medical leadership initiatives, bodies and programmes.

Conclusion The majority of junior doctors surveyed valued L&M experience for future success and also demonstrated evidence of providing leadership, despite lacking formal leadership training. Clinical training programmes need to focus on developing these skills alongside raising awareness of the opportunities available for leadership development. The challenge remains as to how this can be achieved whilst balancing training and service commitments.

References

1. Hynes G, Tweedie J, Peake L, Lees P. A survey of junior doctor’s experiences of medical leadership and management training. BMJ Leader 2018;2(1). https://bmjleader.bmj.com/content/2/Suppl_1/A40.2

2. Warren OJ, Carnall R. Medical leadership: why it’s important, what is required and how we develop it. Postgrad Med J 2011;87:27–32. https://pmj.bmj.com/content/postgradmedj/87/1023/27.full.pdf

3. Gilbert A, Hockey P, Vaithianathan R, Curzen N, Lees P. Perceptions of junior doctors in the NHS about their training: results of a regional questionnaire. BMJ Quality & Safety 2012;21;234–238. https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/qhc/21/3/234.full.pdf?casa_token=-b0DyvgELesAAAAA:yhePzqEflG9NK0Q_tpKRHFHzInAEA-WTMGX68MVVAXsq2ELefv0aFox71AGjm2xKaQLQtl8Ej0Q