Leadership development for early career doctors

Changes in health policy require clinical participation and leadership to drive implementation.9 WHO has identified deficiency in the management and leadership capacity of many developing countries as a key reason for the seemingly inevitable failure to meet their Millennium Development Goals.10 The USA has pioneered clinician-management training, with doctors readily taking on health-systemmanagement roles as physician executives.11 Training starts at undergraduate level, with many universities (eg, Harvard, Stanford, and University of California, Los Angeles) offering special study modules in medical management and joint MD and MBA or Masters degrees in medical leadership.12 For qualified physicians, the American College of Physician Executives and the Institute for Health Improvement contribute to physician leadership training and accreditation. Acknowledgments We thank Martin Else, Peter Lees, and Bruce Keogh for ensuring the continuation of the scheme under the auspices of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management; Richard Thompson, Sue Shepherd, Richard Horton, and the Royal College of Physicians for hosting and participating in an event to allow discussion and initiation of thisViewpoint; and all host organisations for their support of the CMO's Clinical Advisors Scheme: Bupa, UK Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, NHS Kidney Care, NHS London, National Patient Safety Agency, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Royal College of Physicians, South West Strategic Health Authority.