Understanding leadership development within new medical schools in Africa
type: CreativeWork
description: The transient and multifaceted nature of leadership in Health Professions Education has changed over time. Programme directors associated with medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health and those involved in a clinical setting typically serve as managers and leaders concurrently. Furthermore, managers in modern organisations are expected to fulfil leadership roles. Leader and leadership development are inter-reliant phenomena. Moreover, the growth of leaders, the mutual development within a group and the consequent development of an organisation in the context of health professions education HPE require framing. This is especially true when leaders are faced with an array of constraints in low- and middle-income countries. In order to appreciate leader development, we need to ask “what qualities do we need to develop in our leaders?” and for leadership development “what qualities do we need to develop in our organisation?”. Thus, within the context of the current study we essentially ask: “What qualities have developed in our leaders, organisation and the consortium?” The current study sought to understand leadership development of appointed and emergent leaders in new medical schools in Africa. A mixed-methods approach was employed and the data collection instruments included: a Likert scale survey, a multiple case study approach and a qualitative document analysis (QDA). A total of 29 surveys (64.5% response rate) were returned and 10 successful interviews were conducted after ethical approval and obtaining consent. Many of the participants fulfilled multiple roles as lecturer (linked to the basic medical sciences), departmental head and/or a clinical teaching position in the hospital. Their academic positions and seniority as leaders included deans, a deputy dean, a programme director, heads of departments (HODs), medical educationalists and lecturers. Any additional biographical information was excluded in the study in order to ensure anonymity of the participan…
abstract: The transient and multifaceted nature of leadership in Health Professions Education has changed over time. Programme directors associated with medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health and those involved in a clinical setting typically serve as managers and leaders concurrently. Furthermore, managers in modern organisations are expected to fulfil leadership roles. Leader and leadership development are inter-reliant phenomena. Moreover, the growth of leaders, the mutual development within a group and the consequent development of an organisation in the context of health professions education HPE require framing. This is especially true when leaders are faced with an array of constraints in low- and middle-income countries. In order to appreciate leader development, we need to ask “what qualities do we need to develop in our leaders?” and for leadership development “what qualities do we need to develop in our organisation?”. Thus, within the context of the current study we essentially ask: “What qualities have developed in our leaders, organisation and the consortium?” The current study sought to understand leadership development of appointed and emergent leaders in new medical schools in Africa. A mixed-methods approach was employed and the data collection instruments included: a Likert scale survey, a multiple case study approach and a qualitative document analysis (QDA). A total of 29 surveys (64.5% response rate) were returned and 10 successful interviews were conducted after ethical approval and obtaining consent. Many of the participants fulfilled multiple roles as lecturer (linked to the basic medical sciences), departmental head and/or a clinical teaching position in the hospital. Their academic positions and seniority as leaders included deans, a deputy dean, a programme director, heads of departments (HODs), medical educationalists and lecturers. Any additional biographical information was excluded in the study in order to ensure anonymity of the participan…
author: Wessels, Quenton Bester
keywords: health sciences education
date published: 2022
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:26Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Health Sciences Education

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36731