Learning to Lead in the Academic Medical Center

Book excerpt: This compelling title is a comprehensive, practical guide for current and aspiring leaders in academic medical centers (AMC). Offering both a broad overview of the dynamics of the AMC and a detailed “how-to” set of instructions for the wide-ranging situations that demand skilled leadership, this expertly designed volume is filled with meaningful examples and insights. Learning to Lead in the Academic Medical Center: A Practical Guide consists of five parts. The first three sections are narrative and intended to help the reader become a better leader. The first section looks at the AMC as a social system and emphasizes an understanding of group dynamics. The second section discusses the critical role of personality, while the third covers all the necessary leadership skill sets such as negotiation, persuasion, conflict resolution, running a meeting, and so on. The fourth section is a fascinating series of case vignettes to solve based on the material that preceded it. The final section provides a set of highly instructional solutions to those cases. An indispensable reference authored by three highly accomplished leaders in the field, Learning to Lead in the Academic Medical Center: A Practical Guide will be of great interest to all physicians and trainees who seek a comprehensive yet handy resource on the need-to-know basics of success in the AMC environment.