Report calls for more to be done to help medical students acquire the skills they will need to become future leaders of the health service.
The report from the Royal College of Physicians, the General Medical Council, the King’s Fund, the University of Liverpool, the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and Student BMJ highlights uncertainty amongst medical students about their future roles in management and leadership and the skills they will be expected to possess.
Report calls for more to be done to help medical students acquire the skills they will need to become future leaders of the health service.
The report from the Royal College of Physicians, the General Medical Council, the King’s Fund, the University of Liverpool, the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and Student BMJ highlights uncertainty amongst medical students about their future roles in management and leadership and the skills they will be expected to possess.
21st Century Doctor: Understanding the doctors of tomorrow reports on 11 nationwide consultation events involving over 492 medical students who were asked to reflect on their understanding of medical professionalism and its application in modern healthcare.
Some of the key findings include agreement that:
- professionalism needs to be an integral part of medical education and training
- medical students should have well-articulated and clearly defined definitions of medical professionalism
- medical students need clarification of the role and function of the General Medical Council – the medical regulator
- the terms ‘management’ and ‘leadership’ are often confused in the minds of medical students
The report raises important questions about how medical students can best prepare for the increased responsibility they will face in managing and leading the health services of the future.
Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians said:
With the increasing importance of relationships with patients, carers, NHS managers and other health professionals, it is vital that our future doctors possess the necessary skills to lead UK healthcare.
It is clear that students want to learn more about the non-medical aspects of a career in medicine, with over 80% of the medical students we consulted agreeing that doctors should be trained in leadership and management.
All medical students must meet the outcomes outlined in the GMC’s guidance Tomorrow's Doctors. The guidance, which was updated in 2009, sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours that students must learn at medical school and emphasises the importance of developing professional as well as clinical skills.
Niall Dickson, Chief Executive of the General Medical Council said:
This is an important report. We’re determined to act on what medical students have told us and do more to help them understand our role and support them to prepare for a successful career. The GMC has already begun to work with them to ensure they understand the professional standards that they need to adopt now to meet the challenges of the future.
The GMC’s role has expanded to cover all stages of medical education and as a result of this and the introduction of revalidation, we aim to develop a closer and ongoing relationship with every member of the profession, from the first day at medical school until the day they retire from practice.
John Clark, Director of Medical Leadership at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement said:
Introducing medical students to relevant management and leadership competences will enhance their contribution to the improvement of health services throughout their medical careers. This must be good news for the NHS.
Helen O’Sullivan from the University of Liverpool said:
Medical Schools need to provide lots of opportunities for medical students to develop their skills in leadership and management and demonstrate that they have appropriate professional behaviours and values for the demanding career that they have chosen. This report provides us all with valuable information about what students think and feel about these issues and I warmly welcome the recommendations.
You can download a full copy of the report and the executive summary below.