Preparing for leadership in General Practice : a qualitative exploration of how GP trainees learn about leadership
Abstract
The recent rise to prominence of healthcare leadership worldwide has prompted those involved in medical education to consider how to facilitate learning to lead effectively. Research has focused on formal curriculum activities. Curricular theory suggests that trainee doctors may also learn through the informal curriculum but there is a lack of medical education literature on this. We aimed to explore how GP trainees learn about leadership in their GP training practices. Epistemologically grounded in social constructionism, this research involved 15 semi-structured interviews with GP trainees about to complete their training. Interviews were conducted using an online video conferencing method, audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using thematic framework analysis. We identified three learning processes contributing to leadership development; evaluating leadership, formulating views on leadership and constructing a personal leadership identity. Other factors operating within the informal curriculum included leadership terminology, and the quality of relationships and networks. Paradoxically, a role model’s fallibility could positively influence leadership learning. Based on our findings, we present a model for the informal leadership learning process. This may enhance the facilitation of leadership learning by trainers and the wider clinical team, and positively influence the delivery and content of formal leadership courses.
Citation
Nicol , J & Gordon , L J 2018 , ' Preparing for leadership in General Practice : a qualitative exploration of how GP trainees learn about leadership ' , Education for Primary Care , vol. Latest Articles . https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2018.1528896
Publication
Education for Primary Care
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1473-9879Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2018, Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher's policies. This is the author created accepted version manuscript following peer review and as such may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2018.1528896
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