Interprofessional Leadership Development: Role of Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills Training

Introduction: Among the many skills required for leading interprofessional health care teams, emotional intelligence and communication skills are critical to building professionalism, establishing patient trust, and providing optimal patient care. Nonetheless, these skills are often overlooked in medical training. We implemented a 2.5-hour workshop for interprofessional trainees to self-assess, reflect, and apply their emotional intelligence and communication skills. Methods: Participants were interprofessional trainees, including internal medicine residents, medical students, and graduate students in clinical pharmacy, physician assistant, and health psychology training programs. The workshop consisted of reflective activities to self-assess emotional intelligence and communication styles; a didactic presentation focused on leadership, emotional intelligence, and communication styles; and a teamwork activity to apply emotional intelligence and communication skills. Results: = .01). Discussion: This workshop enhanced our trainees' self-reported comfort, awareness, and preparedness regarding using emotional intelligence and communication strategies. An interprofessional approach can be beneficial for leadership training in the health professions.