Article Text
Abstract
Introduction The MBBS Curriculum at Queen Mary University of London is undergoing a significant review in 2023/24 to be implemented in 2025. The current curriculum does very little, if any, formal teaching to address the inherent growing need for Leadership and Management skills in graduating Doctors. I will be working with the Curriculum review project to incorporate an integrated Leadership curriculum based on literature on the needs of an evolving NHS workforce. This curriculum will allow Medical Students to explore current Leadership Theory and research, build on skills working in Multidisciplinary fields, and provide an introduction into Leadership and Management careers in the Healthcare field and parallel industries such as Medical Entrepreneurship, Research, and Academia.
Aims and objectives of the research project or activity The aim of this project is to outline a new integrated MBBS Leadership Curriculum, in line with the FMLM Undergraduate Curriculum guidance, that can be used to influence Gold Standard leadership training for Undergraduates in future. I will conduct research on the current provisions for students at Queen Mary University of London, and line this up with the FMLM Undergraduate Curriculum and ‘Outcomes for Graduates’, and use this to guide recommendations for review.
In conjunction with the MBBS Curriculum Review project, and the lead for MBBS, I will then design a spiral curriculum to span Years 1–5, which includes sessions that promote leadership and management qualities to Undergraduate students in practical environments, whilst also empowering those students to reflect on leadership experiences observed on clinical placements via their placement reflection program.
Method or approach I will conduct a thorough Literature review on Leadership and Management teaching provisions to Undergraduate Medical Students, and allow this to guide my recommendations for integration in the upcoming MBBS curriculum. I will conduct anonymous survey data on students’ perceptions on Medical Leadership currently, as well as their understanding of careers in Medical Leadership and Management. I will use this data as a further backbone for designing curriculum that engages and provokes greater consideration for the importance in leadership qualities in graduating Doctors.
I will work with academics in the Institute of Health Sciences Education (School of Medicine) to design leadership sessions relevant to Year group with interactive and engaging pedagogy, and work to implement this into the wider MBBS curriculum.
Findings This project will begin primarily in January, and an integrated Leadership curriculum will have been designed by the Conference date in March.
Key messages The main aim of this project is to demonstrate a practical Gold Standard for implementing the FMLM Undergraduate Curriculum in a format that is conducive for a remodelled Spiral MBBS Curriculum. This project will highlight the most effective methods on empowering students at all levels of Undergraduate study to begin thinking about leadership careers, have an understanding of Leadership theory, and using that as a language and a platform to reflect effectively on good (and poor) leadership technique observed on clinical rotations. This curriculum would hopefully have real applications for other Medical Schools as they look to reflect on their own leadership teaching, and would be designed for easily transferrable pedagogy, in order to fulfil the need for greater leadership education at Medical Schools across the country.