Exploration of current status and influencing factors of leadership competency of medical graduate freshmen based on three different models

Abstract Background: It calls great attention of the leadership competency status of medical students as it is believed that their good leadership ability can improve the clinical practice or research outcome. It is believed to be among the most important competency of a doctor or a scientist. Meanwhile, the leadership competency status of the medical graduate freshmen and the influencing factors of it had been rarely researched. Methods: From July to September in 2020 and 2021, 851 medical graduate freshmen from seven teaching hospitals of the Capital Medical University (CMU) participated in a survey including three 5-point Likert scales based on different models and in which they implied their leadership abilities. The scales included Socially Responsible Leadership Scale (SRLS), Emotionally Intelligent Leadership for students Inventory (EILI) and the Student Leadership Practices Inventory-Self Instrument(SLPI). After self-scoring of these three scales, four questions were asked about the attitude of the cultivation of leadership and scored by the 5-point Likert scale. The data were then analyzed by two independent samples t-test or one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regressions. Results: The scores of all dimensions of the SRLS were at the medium level except for controversy with civility. The scores of the dimensions of consciousness of context, self and others of EILI and the dimensions of enable others to act and encourage the heart of SLPI were at the medium level.And the scores of the dimensions of model the way, inspire a shared vision and challenge the process of SLPI were at the high level. The leadership abilities of medical graduate freshmen were affected by the demographics, participation of social activities and leadership learning. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the scores of SLPI were jointly affected by the scores of SRLS and EILI ((F=2674.44, P<0.001, R2=0.86).Conclusions: Chinese medical graduate freshmen had a medium to high level of leadership abilities except for controversy with civility according to the survey. Leadership ability can be affected by demographic characteristics, social activities and leadership learning situations. Leadership practice is influenced by both personal responsibility and emotional intelligence. Themed series of activities especially with a service theme could be involved in the cultivation of their leadership abilities in practice aspect.