Why COVID-19 pandemic builds a convincing case for investing in 'Young Physician Leaders (YPL)'

Abstract

There are pressing issues that are plaguing healthcare systems across the world (especially in the lower-middle-income countries), which comprise low-quality care, affordability, accessibility, poor infrastructure, violence against healthcare personnel, deficiency of physicians and healthcare staff. COVID-19 has put an immense physical and mental strain on the young physicians who are at the forefront in fighting this pandemic. This has lead to an increase in incidences of burnout among young doctors, which adversely impacts the quality of healthcare, patient well-being and satisfaction. The present-day medical training typically creates solo medical experts; but, modern-day management of patients and organisations require team-work and leadership. To profoundly alter the way the young physicians work and for creating physician leaders for the future, leadership training ought to commence during the medical school.

Health Impact and Psychosocial Perceptions among French Medical Residents during the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Survey

“…In the same way, for medical residents, it has been stated that stressors need to be identified and addressed to improve job satisfaction and reduce psychosocial demands [32]. The role of physicians and their leadership are essential to improve the healthcare of medical resident staff [33].…”

Provider and staff crisis well‐being associated with trust in leadership and baseline burnout

“…Burnout in health care, including among PHO faculty and fellows, 31,32 has been a widespread problem even prior to the pandemic. Presence of prior emotional or mental health problems have been well described as a risk factor for subsequent decline in well‐being and emotional health, 11,33 and can lead to dysfunctional coping mechanisms 34 . This poses the question that maybe if we could have faced this pandemic with lower levels of burnout, could we have weathered the pandemic even better.…”

We need to fill leadership vacuum in Medicine

“…The author argues that as solutions for pressing issues of healthcare challenges are coming from youngsters around the world, we need to similarly invest in developing their such abilities. [ 1 ] However, we want to underscore that 10 years ago Medical Council of India made elections of students' union mandatory in all the Medical Colleges. [ 2 ] Newly constituted National Medical Commission also has similar rules.…”