Fostering Future Healthcare Leaders: An Interventional Study on Internal Medicine Residents

Background The leadership skills of physicians significantly enhance patient care by utilizing clinical expertise and fostering collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Physicians emerge as healthcare leaders without prior formal training, showcasing their proficiency in diverse leadership positions. The objective of this study is to explore the perceived change in the behaviors of residents after the introduction of a leadership development workshop in the Internal Medicine residency program. Method A quasi-experimental study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, in 2023. Interactive workshops were conducted for internal medicine residents. The training effectiveness was evaluated on three of the four levels of the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. Results A total of 28 residents (out of 30, 93%) participated in leadership workshops with a mean age of 29 (± 2) years. In the Level 1 Kirkpatrick evaluation, 92.9% of the residents expressed satisfaction with the workshop. Residents at level 2 acquired knowledge (89.3%), intended to advocate for workshops (92.9%), were confident in applying learning to work, recognized leadership importance (85.7%), and felt better prepared for challenges (92.9%). The level 3 assessment revealed notable improvements in residents’ perceptions of their leadership skills after the workshops (p value 0.003). Conclusion The research underscores the importance of leadership development for residents and continuous engagement in similar programs to foster their leadership skills and competencies over time.