Leadership inspiration from NHS Improvement / England

I chose to undertake the FMLM student elective as I felt that I had limited opportunities to experience the realities of medical leadership and management in the course of my normal medical school curriculum. The elective gave me an opportunity to explore my own leadership style as well as connecting with members of my peer group who share the same interests. I feel I am now beginning to create a network of like-minded individuals, and in the few weeks since the end of the programme we have already began sharing further opportunities and ideas.

I was placed at NHS Improvement, and in my three weeks there I was able to attend multiple meetings covering a range of topics - from length of stay to quality assurance in maternity services. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to contribute to an ongoing project: this hands-on experience was particularly valuable to me as it gave me an insight into the day to day realities of working at an arm’s-length body and allowed me to contribute in a small way.

Overall, this experience confirmed to me that I am interested in pursuing more medical leadership and management opportunities in the future, as well as inspiring me to encourage others in my medical school to develop their leadership skills. This is particularly important to me as I believe these are skills that will serve any clinician or allied health professional well, not just those who have an interest in leadership and management.