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For example, surgeons could be trained to use the huddles and check lists to get
an OR team off to an excellent start. They could be trained to develop “quicker”
teams, for when team members have never worked together before. During long
surgeries, they can develop practices that rejuvenate their teams. A high percentage
of competent, well-trained surgeons experienced in building and leading high-per-
formance teams could become the hospital’s most significant resource and
capability.
Being a leader is about being a role model. When people think of someone as the
leader, everything said, every single word that comes out of that leader’s mouth has
an impact. And as psychologists teach us:
Whenever you open your mouth you can lose control.Therefore, surgeons should be in the moment and mindful of the impact they have
on the people that they work with day in and day out.
Physician-Centered Learning: Translating Materials
in Classroom Pedagogy with Group Work and Active Learning
Techniques^38
Physicians are very capable of independent learning, acquiring the leadership knowl-
edge and applying the concepts and tools to be successful. However, leaders cannot
be developed through reading and application alone; to hone their skills, they need to
practice in a safe space and obtain feedback. Moreover, physician leadership training
programs will have a limited impact if the curriculum is simply taught through didac-
tic lecturing. Active learning helps physicians apply new knowledge to their specific
work situation and forces faculty to plan a practical and not just theoretical curricu-
lum. To be more effective and keep physicians engaged throughout the leadership
training programs, lecturing needs to be only one aspect of the design.
I recommend that material be presented through a wide variety of modalities.
Health care-based case studies, simulations, projects, team-based learning, peer-to-
peer learning, breakout group discussions, online tutorials, role-playing, storytell-
ing, interactive exercises, and shadowing are all methods that bring information to
life. Multimedia education, in particular, is very effective.
Online and/or blended curriculum design is another successful approach. While
some programs have developed online learning components, it is still a small part of
current training. Given the time constraints of practicing physicians, however, it is
likely that blending residential with online learning will become another important
part of successful surgeon training programs.
(^38) My colleagues and I have written a white paper developing a leadership curriculum for physi-
cians. Chilingerian, Jon., Ourieff, Sally., Garvin, Lynn., and Harris, Andrea. [ 14 ]. Building
a Twenty-first Century Physician Leadership Curriculum. White Paper: National Physician
Foundation.
J.A. Chilingerian