Cultivating next generation leadership: preceptors' rating of competencies in post-graduate administrative residents and fellows.

Substantial national attention is being directed at enhancing the competency levels of early careerists in healthcare management. In this study, we examined preceptors' ratings of administrative resident/fellow competencies in multiple domains, and we compared those to our previous results of self-rated competency by residents/fellows. In this national sample of preceptors (n=61) of administrative residency/fellowship program listed with the American College of Healthcare Executives, competency in the information management domain was ranked highest, with more than half of preceptors (55.7%) giving their residents/fellows an "A" rating. Fewer preceptors (between 30.0% and 39.2%) gave their residents/fellows an "A" rating in domains of interpersonal and emotional intelligence, analytic and conceptual reasoning, and clinical operations. Less than 20% of preceptors rated competencies as "A" level in the domains of human resources/marketing/public affairs, financial management, fund raising, and facilities management. There were significant differences in preceptor ratings compared with resident/fellow self-ratings, with preceptors often providing lower ratings than provided by resident/fellows. The findings highlight the need not only to enhance competency levels of graduates but also to address the potential mismatch in early careerists' and preceptors' views about required and attained competency levels.