Physicians take on many leadership responsibilities during their careers, and while many medical institutions acknowledge leadership as a necessary medical competency, few physicians receive formal training, according to an op-ed in the Harvard Business Review.
Lisa S. Rotenstein, MD, a resident physician at Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital; Raffaella Sadun, a professor at Boston-based Harvard Business School; and Anupam B. Jena, a professor at Boston-based Harvard Medical School argue that leadership training for physicians "can make an important difference for healthcare outcomes, experiences and financial sustainability alike," but physicians rarely learn how to confront problem employees, develop promising team members or resolve conflicts.
The authors write that medical schools and residency programs should seek "to optimize the skills of the physicians leading all corners of the healthcare system" instead of just those who are on a management track.