Background: Internal Medicine residency is a three-year experience during which second and third year residents are expected to lead a team of first year residents and medical students. This structure has led to many residents finding themselves in leadership positions by circumstance and often with limited prior leadership training. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a leadership workshop for rising second year residents.
Methods: Forty-nine rising second year internal medicine, internal medicine-pediatric, neurology, ophthalmology, and preliminary residents underwent a one-hour leadership workshop. The workshop was designed to teach rising residents how to define the expectations of all members of a medicine wards team, identify the qualities of an effective resident leader, and describe the attributes of effective feedback using the “ADAPT” feedback framework. Participants completed a pre- and post- workshop survey.
Results: Of the forty-nine residents who participated in the leadership workshop, 34 were categorical internal medicine, 1 was preliminary, 4 were ophthalmology, 7 were neurology, and 3 were internal-medicine pediatric residents. During the pre-workshop survey, 16 participants (33%) disagreed with the statement “I have received training on how to be an effective resident leader,” 37 participants (75%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I am able to lead a feedback discussion,” and only 23 participants (47%) of the participants agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I feel prepared to be an upper-level resident.” After the workshop 8 participants failed to complete the post-workshop survey. Of the 41 participants who completed the post-workshop survey, all participants (100%) indicated they agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I am able to lead a feedback discussion,” and 32 participants (79%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I feel prepared to be an upper-level resident.”
Conclusions: The results of this leadership workshop indicate rising second year residents feel more prepared to be medical team leaders after formal leadership training. Residency programs should integrate training in leadership skills as part of their curriculum to ensure residents feel empowered and equipped to be effective resident leaders.
