Chief Resident Book Club: A Novel Approach to Leadership Development and Mentorship

Abstract

Visual Abstract.

Setting and Problem

The role of chief resident is a challenging one that often serves as a stepping stone to a career in medical education and leadership. In addition to teaching and caring for patients, chief residents must manage interpersonal conflict, lead change, and navigate difficult conversations with peers and faculty. Many chief residents lack the structured mentorship and support to help them succeed in this challenging role.^1,2

At our community-based, university-affiliated internal medicine residency program, we identified an opportunity to address this gap. We created a longitudinal Chief Resident Book Club with the goal of providing mentorship, leadership training, and opportunities for scholarship.

Intervention

In the 2023-2024 academic year, we launched an annual 10-month longitudinal book club for internal medicine chief residents at our institution. In July, the 2 new chief residents met with the program director and 2 core faculty mentors to articulate leadership goals and co-select a leadership-focused book. Examples of books selected by prior chief residents include Dare to Lead by Brené Brown and The Emotionally Intelligent Leader by Daniel Goleman. Over the fall, the group read and discussed the book in a series of structured meetings, connecting its themes to real-time leadership challenges faced by the chief residents (Box).

Box. Sample Meeting Agenda From Chief Resident Book Club

Pre-meeting preparation:

Read pages 183-218 of Dare to Lead by Brené Brown and be prepared to discuss key takeaways.

Discussion Questions:

1. What concepts or ideas from this section resonated with you the most?

2. Since our last meeting, what is one leadership challenge or dilemma you have encountered?

3. Are there any upcoming conversations you anticipate will be difficult to navigate?

Then, the chief residents synthesized key concepts from the book to develop a case-based workshop for incoming chief residents. In the spring, they shared their work locally with residents and faculty, highlighting the lessons learned throughout their chief year. Finally, the chief residents presented their work nationally at the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine annual Chief Resident Meeting, sharing advice with rising chief residents from across the country.

Outcomes to Date

The longitudinal Chief Resident Book Club has been successfully implemented and is now in its third year. Two cohorts (n=4) have completed the curriculum to date, and a third cohort (n=2) is currently participating in the curriculum. All participants rated the experience as meaningful and would recommend a faculty-mentored book club to future chief residents. One participant commented, “Having a framework to approach challenges during chief year was very helpful. It was also great to have mentors that could help apply concepts from books to situations.”

The shared reading experience created a common mental model and vocabulary for chief residents and faculty, enhancing the quality of feedback and mentoring conversations. Developing and delivering a workshop helped chief residents translate theory into practice and reinforced leadership learning through teaching. Both cohorts successfully presented their workshops at a national academic conference, creating additional opportunities for mentorship and scholarship.

This model is low-cost, time-efficient, and adaptable across specialties and institutions. Future directions include expanding the book club to other departments and forming partnerships with chief residents at regional programs.