Evaluation of organizational and directorial leadership in schools of medicine in Mexico

In order to successfully transform schools of medicine, leaders who guide them towards innovation and sustainability are necessary. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the level of development in schools of medicine in Mexico in terms of two components of leadership: organizational and individual. The research strategy included three phases: the design of the Leadership Model for Medical Education, the determination of two evaluation instruments and the analysis of results. The instruments were applied to 52 individuals in directorial positions affiliated with the Mexican Association of Schools and Departments of Medicine (AMFEM, in Spanish). The results indicate that although the organizational stage is at the level of standardization (level 3 of 5), at the individual stage the leaders perceive themselves at the position level (1 of 5). The conclusion is that the directors must increase their training and develop their interpersonal and managing skills.