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Physician Leadership Training

 

Notice: Effective 5:00pm PST on August 12, 2024, the Specialist Services Committee and Shared Care Committee are not accepting any new applications to the SSC/SCC Physician Leadership Scholarship Program for the remainder of fiscal year 2024/2025 (ending March 31, 2025). Learn more and read the FAQs.

Purpose

The Physician Leadership Scholarship Program (PLSP), jointly funded by the Specialist Services Committee and the Shared Care Committee, provides funding for courses, conferences, coaching programs, and Master's programs for physicians. The program focuses on:

  • Developing future leaders and helping existing physician leaders mature in their skill sets.
  • Fostering a culture of continuous quality improvement.
  • Empowering physicians to take on the issues and challenges of the ever-changing health landscape.
  • Understanding and integrating evidence-based practices into leadership roles.
  • Advocating for policies and initiatives that effect positive change in the health care system.

LEADS Framework

The PLSP has opted to support the concepts explained through the LEADS Framework, which provides a holistic model for leadership development by blending both technical and interpersonal skills within a health care context. It emphasizes five key domains: Lead Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions, Systems Transformation.

 

Lead Self

Lead self: this component focuses on the core competencies required for effective leadership which includes setting direction, aligning goals and objectives, and inspiring and motivating others. Leaders who excel in this domain demonstrate vision, strategic thinking, and the ability to mobilize teams towards shared goals.

Self-motivated leaders are aware of their own assumptions, values, principles, strengths, and limitations. They manage themselves and take responsibility for their own performance and health. They actively seek opportunities and challenges for personal learning, character building and growth while modelling qualities such as honesty, integrity, resilience, and confidence.

Suggested Courses

Engage Others

Engage others: this component focuses on the ability to engage stakeholders, which is essential for building relationships, fostering collaboration, and driving organizational change. It emphasizes the importance of communication, listening and creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives and values are respected. 

Engaging leaders work to support and challenge others to achieve professional and personal goals that will contribute to the creation and maintenance of healthy organizations. They can create engaging environments that are open to contributions from all. They can really listen and facilitate environments of collaboration and cooperation to achieve results.

Suggested Courses:

Achieve Outcomes

Achieve outcomes: this component is defined by a shared vision for change, a crisp articulation of the future state, and the ability to communicate the needed results. Competencies in the areas of delivering outcomes, managing performance, and driving continuous improvement are crucial.

Leaders who excel in this domain set high standards, monitor progress, and adapt strategies as needed. They accomplish this by setting an inspiring vision, and by identifying, establishing, and communicating clear and meaningful expectations and outcomes. Understanding how to integrate organizational missions and values while using reliable, valid evidence to make decisions is also a key competency. Leaders appreciate the value of measurement and subsequent evaluation of outcomes.

Suggested Courses:

Develop Coalitions

Develop coalitions: this component is defined by building and maintaining relationships at a strategic level that span various programs, across and between relevant organizations, and which can include patients and families, and the public. It is the ability to connect with others to move change forward.

Collaborative leaders are purposeful in building needed partnerships and networks to ensure results. These leaders foster a culture of learning and development, employing their skills in facilitating collaboration, cooperation, and coalitions among diverse groups and perspectives. They know how to gather needed background information that will encourage open exchange of information and use quality evidence to influence action across the health care system. By being politically astute, they can negotiate through conflict and mobilize support.

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System Transformation

System transformation: this component is defined by the skills a leader needs to address change dynamics. Systems transformation is a strategic capability often seen through development of policy, procedures, and structural changes that influence the culture of the workplace.

As issues are identified, leaders look to design and implement effective changes and processes across systems. Through the creation of a climate of continuous improvement, they are skilled at scanning the environment for ideas, best practices, and emerging trends that will shape the system. They understand how to actively champion and orchestrate changes that improve health service delivery.

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Funding

Criteria for Approval
  • Applying physicians must be fellows of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or Certificants of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, have an active registration, and be practicing in BC.
  • Programs must be offered by recognized academic institutions, professional bodies, and/or quality improvement organizations.
  • Content is relevant to British Columbia health care provision.
Courses and Conferences
  • Funding for both in-person and virtual courses and conferences that adhere to the LEADS framework and/or advanced Quality Improvement is available. The funding includes tuition or registration fees, accommodation, and travel costs. All submitted costs must adhere to the travel policy as set by Doctors of BC.
Closer to Home Initiative

Maximizing access to physician leadership training is important to the JCC. Consequently, the PLSP has worked with Facility Engagement (FE) to develop a Closer to Home option. Through this cost sharing partnership, speakers from the Physician Leadership Institute (PLI) are contracted to travel to the local area, instead  of having physicians travel to where the course is routinely offered. This approach creates a network of physicians interested in learning the same leadership skill, minimizes time away from clinical practice and home life, and reduces the environmental impact through travel minimization.

Important things to know about the Closer to Home Initiative:

  • As Doctors of BC is a member-driven organization, we can only fund leadership development for physicians. This funding cannot be extended to allied health professionals or non-physician members of the management team.
  • Due to the need to liaise with FE, PLI, and the PLSP, forward planning is essential. Two months' notification of intent through completion of the Inquiry Form is requested.
  • We are here to help you. Upon receipt of the inquiry form, a member of the PLSP team will contact you to confirm next steps.
  • If the application is successful, a letter of approval outlining the funding roles and responsibilities will be provided. Please wait for the letter of approval before making any financial commitments. Participating physicians should be aware that the costs are drawn from their yearly PLSP allotment.
  • Payment of physician time is not provided through the PLSP.
  • Post-course evaluation is a program requirement.
Leadership Coaching

Receiving leadership coaching is quite different from leadership training. Coaching concentrates on performance enhancement in a specific area; it is goal-oriented and can be a short-term process or a longer iterative process. Within the context of PLSP, coaching must focus on the higher-level, workplace-specific skills. To be eligible for financial support for leadership coaching:

  • The selected coach must be certified by the International Coaching Federation. Confirmation of this designation must be included in the application.
  • Applicants must submit a coach's bio/CV along with application.
  • The coach should have experience coaching individuals in health care leadership roles.
  • Applicant will be entering into or currently holds a leadership position.
  • Coaching quote is available with breakdown of costs.
  • The scholarship supports one application per lifetime for coaching per physician.
  • Repeat participation in a coaching program will not be accepted.

If you aren't sure if you need coaching or peer support, we encourage consideration of the various options for physician peer support through the Physician Health Program (PHP).

The BC Physician Health Program provides physician peer support in various formats:

  • You can speak to someone who understands what you are going through as a physician by accessing their 1:1 peer support. Email the PHP team or call 1-800-663-6729 for more information.
  • Virtual peer support and learning groups, which are available twice a month on a drop-in basis.
  • Through a PHP-JCC initiative, you also have access to Local Peer Support Programs. This is 1:1 emotional peer support offered by local physicians in the participating organizations listed.
  • Various support and learning groups are also offered via the Physician Health Program.
Master's Programs

When considering taking on the challenge of a Master's program to augment physician leadership development, physician applicants should be aware that:

  • Program must have a core focus on leadership or quality improvement skills development. Programs with focus on research or clinical skill building fall outside of the scholarship mandate and will not be funded.
  • Confirmation that a physician will be entering into, or holds a leadership position.
  • Physicians must have completed some leadership or quality improvement training previously, preferably within Canada.
  • Master's programs are eligible for up to two reimbursement of up to $10,000 per fiscal year (April1–March 31) for two years (totaling up to a maximum of $20,000 over two fiscal years).
Application Process
Effective 5:00pm PST on August 12, 2024, the Specialist Services Committee and Shared Care Committee are not accepting any new applications to the SSC/SCC Physician Leadership Scholarship Program for the remainder of fiscal year 2024/2025 (ending March 31, 2025). Learn more and read the FAQs.
Reimbursement Process
  1. This program functions on a reimbursement model. Consequently, the physician must be willing to incur costs upfront.
  2. A claim form is sent upon approval of the application, please refer to page two for an explanation of what expenses are covered.
  3. After completing the course/conference/coaching, applicants must submit proof of completion, the accurately completed claim form, and all relevant receipts i.e., for tuition and any expenses to the JCC Training team.
  4. To receive reimbursement for these costs, all information listed above must be submitted within three months of course completion. For example, if completion occurs on April 2, the appropriate documents must be received no later than July 2.
  5. Doctors of BC Finance will review the submitted documents. We strongly encourage applicants to follow the Finance team's guidelines and forms to expedite reimbursement. Missing receipts, incomplete information, and other submission issues will delay reimbursements.
  6. Funds are reimbursed through electronic funds transfer (EFT), with payment taking place two-to-four weeks after a completed and approved submission.
  7. The physician will receive a confirmation of payment.
Evaluations
Your input is essential to the ongoing refinement of the PLSP. When you receive your notification of payment, there will also be a brief survey for your completion. Please fill out the survey and return it to us. We thank you in advance for taking the time to provide us with feedback.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding the Physician Leadership Scholarship Program, please contact the JCC Training team.

 

Frequently Asked Questions