INSEAD – Graduation Day 2013, Singapore
Today, the 32 physicians attending the WMA/INSEAD Leadership and Communication Course in Singapore received their graduation certificates. This represented completion of five days packed full of study and learning that will enable them to serve well as leaders in their own countries and internationally.
This morning the agenda changed slightly from earlier sessions that were focused on public relations, communications and negotiation skills. Today the students heard the experience of speakers who have done successful medical campaigns in the real world. The goal was to listen to the stories, debate them and link them with the theory from the course. And in the context and reality of each participant hopefully use of all the learnings of the week once the participant returns back to his or her home country.
Leah Wapner, Secretary General of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) described the recent IMA campaign to “save public medicine” that resulted in a successful industrial action of the Israeli physicians.
Michael Bonning, a doctor in training in Sydney, Australia and medical officer in the Royal Australian Navy, provided insights into social media particularly as it relates to medical practice.
I reviewed the historical mosaic of quality and patient safety initiatives in the United States that have been led by the medical profession. The focus was on the work of the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians and The Joint Commission. This included lessons to be learned for physicians and their medical associations who seek to be involved in similar efforts.
During the final afternoon session of the course attendees worked together in small groups to:
- Develop a concrete personal development plan
- Get insights and feedback from peers for more effective implementation of the development plans
- Set up the context and process for taking what has been learned in the course forward to ensure that the personal development plans turn into personal development realities
A superb faculty and an enthusiastic, engaged group of physician leaders highlighted the week. The enthusiasm and involvement of the latter, persisted to the end – a further compliment to the faculty – and to the interest of the students in working to effect improvements in their health care systems.
I have commented in previous blogs on the course content, the high quality of the faculty and the engagement and enthusiasm of the attendees. All of these were exemplary to the end.
