The family medicine chief resident: a national survey of leadership development.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The chief resident position is a potential incubator for future leaders in family medicine. This national survey of family medicine residency programs shows that 97% of programs have a chief resident, and 84% of these are in their third year of training. However, the responsibilities, preparation, and selection for this role vary widely. At the University of Missouri (MU), we developed a unique leadership curriculum to enhance training for this role that includes attendance at leadership conferences, acquisition of specific skills such as time management and communication, defined responsibilities, and administrative time to complete duties. A survey of former MU chief residents found that aspects of the position such as leadership training and increased exposure to faculty were most valued while schedule tasks were seen as least desirable. Former chief residents were more likely to teach medical students or residents in their current practice compared to those who had not been a chief resident.