The impact of a leadership development course for junior academic medical faculty

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a new leadership development course for academic medical faculty. Design/methodology/approach - In October 2006, a survey was electronically sent to the 55 faculty attending the Leadership Course for Junior Faculty. Findings - A total of 29 women and 26 men attended a course; 85.5 percent responded to the survey. The course was reported to be beneficial personally and professionally to 88.0 percent and 84.0 percent of women, motivated 47.8 percent of women to seek a leadership position, and helped to secure a leadership position for 30.4 percent. This was comparable with the survey responses of men. Women were significantly more likely than men to seek academic career advancement (83.3 percent versus 55.0 percent, p = 0: 04) as a result of attending the course. However, women were significantly less likely to have secured a new leadership position since attending the course in comparison with men (4.2 percent versus 18.2 percent, p = 0: 04). This course also motivated 24.0 percent of women compared with 9.1 percent of men to take additional leadership courses (p-value not significant). All of the women and 25/26 of the men faculty (46/47, 97.9 percent) reported that they would recommend the leadership course to junior faculty. Practical implications - Formal training in leadership skills early in an academic career is professionally and personally beneficial to faculty. In particular, leadership courses can successfully motivate and encourage junior women faculty to seek leadership roles in academic medicine by providing them with the knowledge of opportunities in leadership and the skills required for such positions. Originality/value - The paper presents a subjective assessment of a new leadership course.