Mapping the path to physician leadership: lessons from a comprehensive content analysis of Korean medical school curricula

Purpose: Despite growing recognition of the critical importance of physician leadership in delivering safe healthcare, especially in light of the 2023 medical crisis and professional resistance in Korea, existing studies on leadership education have focused predominantly on countries with long-established leadership curricula. This study aims to assess the curricular content of Korean medical schools to provide a quantitative and qualitative baseline of medical leadership training in the undergraduate curriculum. Methods: We conducted a content analysis of undergraduate medical curricula from 19 Korean medical schools using the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF) as a guiding framework. Survey questionnaires were distributed to designated faculty at each institution, and 270 courses were analyzed, yielding 504 leadership-related codes that were categorized thematically across the five MLCF domains and by academic year. Results: Our analysis revealed that 228 codes (45.2%) fell within "Demonstrating personal qualities" and 75 codes (14.8%) within "Setting direction," with predominant emphasis on medical ethics and law. Training in systems-based practice, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and team-based approaches was relatively limited. Substantial institutional variation existed, with only eight of 19 schools offering curricula covering all five MLCF domains. Most leadership content was delivered through isolated, single-semester courses rather than longitudinally integrated programs. Conclusion: While Korean medical schools recognize certain leadership competencies, there is a need for more comprehensive and consistent integration of leadership development, particularly in teamwork and systems-based practice. We recommend longitudinal integration of leadership education across pre-clinical and clinical years to address evolving competencies at different training stages.