How can students develop management and leadership skills in primary care

Problem

There is a recognition of the importance of Management and Leadership (M&L) for medical students but opportunities can be limited on GP clinical attachments.

Approach

An optional BSc module of Management and Leadership in Primary Care, offers the opportunity for a more in depth exploration of the topic. We developed an optional BSc module, part of a degree in Basic Medical Sciences. The module runs for 2 half days across 1 semester (12 weeks). Students spend 1 session a week in practice to understand the practice M&L and develop a quality improvement project. The other session consists of workshops, case studies and seminars, where students develop an understanding of the theories underpinning M&L.

Findings

Feedback from the small initial cohort of 6 students was positive with overall satisfaction 4.0/5. They particularly valued the clinical placement and interactive business sessions, and enjoyed the team building exercises.They found the projects a good learning experience, but their project reports were limited by their understanding of how to initiate change.

Consequences

The module is a popular option. It is best suited to students intercalating after 3rd or 4th year having completed one of their main GP attachments and could be developed into a MSc, although there is limited funding for clinical placements. St George's are developing a new MBBS curriculum and we hope to include some of the core M&L skills in the main degree.