By Dr. Wairimu Mwaniki
Healthcare today demands more than clinical expertise. Doctors must also be leaders who are capable of managing teams, navigating systems, and advocating for better care. Yet in Kenya, medical students graduate with little to no formal leadership training. This gap leaves many feeling unprepared for the realities of healthcare delivery, particularly in overstretched public facilities.
In high-income countries, leadership education is increasingly embedded in undergraduate medical programs. A global review found that effective models use interactive teaching like case discussions, mentorship, and real-world projects to build skills such as communication, systems thinking, and emotional intelligence. In contrast, Kenyan students often rely on informal experiences to learn how to lead, resulting in wide variability in exposure and skill development.
This gap is especially concerning given the context in which Kenyan doctors practice. Devolution, universal health coverage ambitions, frequent industrial actions, and resource constraints require clinicians who can negotiate, coordinate across levels of care, and make sound decisions under pressure. Without leadership preparation, young doctors are thrust into roles that demand authority and judgment before they are adequately equipped.
The consequences are real. Poor teamwork, communication breakdowns, and lack of initiative among junior doctors can contribute to medical errors, inefficiencies, and low morale. Without structured training, doctors may hesitate to speak up, take charge, or innovate, even when patient safety or service delivery is at stake.
Transformational leadership is particularly relevant for healthcare. It focuses on inspiring and empowering others, leading with integrity, and fostering a shared vision. Imagine what could happen if medical students were taught how to mobilize teams, mentor peers, and challenge the status quo to improve care. Kenya’s health sector would benefit from leaders who not only deliver care, but also drive reform at facility, county, and national levels.
We can start by integrating a leadership module into the core curriculum that is practical, participatory, and tailored to Kenya’s context. Topics could include conflict resolution, ethical decision-making, resource management, quality improvement, and community engagement. Faculty development is equally important, ensuring trainers can model leadership and assess these competencies meaningfully.
To succeed, collaboration is key. The Ministry of Health, medical schools, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, and professional bodies such as the Kenya Medical Association must work together. Leadership training should be foundational, not an optional add-on or extracurricular activity. The payoff would be confident, collaborative young doctors ready to lead healthcare transformation at every level. Kenya’s future healthcare depends not just on doctors, but on doctors who lead.
Reference
Frich, J. C., Brewster, A. L., Cherlin, E. J., & Bradley, E. H. (2015). Leadership development programs for physicians: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 30(5), 656–674. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-014-3141-1](https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-014-3141-1)
About the author
Dr. Wairimu Mwaniki is a Consultant Physician and the Convener of the KMA Policy Advocacy and Communications Committee
