Physician leadership programs: a literature review

Purpose The medical literature about physician leadership programs (PLPs) has grown considerably, with most publications occurring from 2016 to 2024. This literature review aims to describe PLPs from the earliest publication date to March 25, 2024. Design/methodology/approach The study’s PubMed search returned 561 articles and was narrowed to 99 using inclusion and exclusion criteria. This study examined both quantitative and qualitative data using the relevance, appropriateness, transparency and soundness criteria. Findings Activities most commonly included a peer-to-peer component (80/96, 83.3%), didactic sessions (77/96, 80.2%), and coaching or mentorship (61/96, 63.5%). Popular competencies included communication (72/96, 75.0%), teamwork (50/96, 52.1%), and career development (48/96, 50.0%). Outcomes described learner satisfaction (71/96, 74.0%), knowledge acquisition (39/96, 40.6%), behavioral change (37/96, 38.5%), and organizational impact (18/96, 18.8%). Funding was mentioned in 49/99 articles (49.5%). No article provided a complete budget or participant recruitment criteria. Practical implications Improved reporting of organizational impact, budgets, and recruitment criteria are needed to demonstrate the return on investment of PLPs. The heterogeneity of the PLP literature calls out for a standardized approach to reporting program structures, content and outcomes. Originality/value This review offers insights into PLP structures, content, and outcomes. The prevalence of peer-to-peer, coaching, and mentorship structures suggests programs are investing in vertical, adaptive leadership development rather than exclusively horizontal, technical leadership training. Using categories within this review as a template for standardized PLP reporting could aid future program designers.