Implementation of a Pilot Leadership Curriculum for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residents.

Medical trainees are expected to achieve leadership competencies by the end of their training. However, there is a lack of standardized postgraduate leadership education. The aim of this study was to evaluate a pilot program consistent with leadership aims of the medical education body and to assess learners' perceived responses to the curriculum. A pilot workshop was developed using Kern's Six Step Approach to Curriculum Development for Medical Education. Topics included leading teams, managing conflict, feedback, goal setting and time management, as these gaps were identified during a targeted needs assessment. Learning was assessed by pre and post-workshop self-assessments, and the curriculum was evaluated with a post-workshop survey. The workshop was attended by 14 PM&R residents and 1 medical student. There was a statistically significant increase in participants' Likert scale confidence scores for the summative areas of leading teams, managing conflict, feedback, goal setting and time management (p<0.001). All participants rated the session as 4 or 5/5 on all evaluation domains. In conclusion, a single session targeting stated needs of trainees was successful in increasing perceived competence in areas relevant to clinical leadership. Expansion to include a longitudinal component, with assessment for behavior change for ongoing improvement would be beneficial.