Author Q&A: Unlocking the Leader Within: A Medical Student’s Guide to Practical Leadership

Introduction and professional background

My name is Maria Ahmad. I am a resident doctor based in London, UK, with a passion for medical education, medical leadership and creative writing. As well as my medical degree, I have a PGCert in Medical Education with Distinction and I hold Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). I have delivered teaching on leadership skills as part of medical school curricula, teaching programs, national and international webinars, and conferences. I am currently training to be a GP, and I hope to have a portfolio career combining medical education, medical leadership and writing. 

My name is Aaron Goh, and I am a Medical Officer with MOH Holdings Private Limited, Singapore. I also hold a secondary position as a Reservist Medical Officer with the Singapore Civil Defence Force and engage in advocacy work as a member of the Singapore Medical Association’s Doctors-in-Training Committee. 

Tell us about the development of your book.

The traditional medical school curriculum equips you with the skills and knowledge to practice clinical medicine. What is less emphasized is the “hidden curriculum” of medical school — the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to succeed in medicine, sometimes known as “soft” skills, which include effective leadership and teamwork skills. These are often not formally taught at medical school or in training programs, despite high-quality evidence that effective, compassionate leadership improves patient safety and outcomes, staff wellbeing and organizational delivery.  

We believe that leadership learning should be fun, and that with the right teaching, anyone can lead effectively, no matter how junior or senior they may be. Our book is the first leadership book written by medical students and resident doctors, for medical students and resident doctors. In a fun and engaging way, we break down the “hidden curriculum” methodically, empowering medical students and junior doctors globally with the practical knowledge and skills to lead effectively, no matter their role in the healthcare system. Our book also details a leadership curriculum for educators to teach these skills. 

What do you find most exciting or significant about your new publication?

Maria Ahmad:  One of the most exciting things for me about our book is seeing the impact that it has already had on medical students and resident doctors, whether helping them to look at their education beyond signoffs and grades, opening their eyes to the exciting world of medical leadership, or providing a guide to support them to excel in specialty training interviews. My favorite chapter is Adaptability and Creative Responses to Setbacks and Obstacles, which encourages us not to hide from failure but to reframe failure as a part of the learning process, helping us to become better learners, clinicians, and leaders. 

Aaron Goh:  My favorite chapter is Find Your Why and Build Good Habits. In a world where productivity and performance are prized as an ever-rising metric of success, more than ever we need to be able to articulate our “why” and our motivations. Simon Sinek captured the spirit of this best: “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.” 

What new ideas, practices, or procedures do you hope readers will take away from your book?  Our book aims to equip medical students and resident doctors with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to become effective and compassionate leaders and team players in health care. We aim to empower our readers to recognize that they can lead wherever they are right now. Our book highlights that leadership is not a position; it is a practice. Leadership is a daily choice we make that starts with leading ourselves exceptionally well. Confident humility and the tenacity to grow from our setbacks are just some key ingredients in every budding leader’s toolkit, which we provide a practical approach to in our book. 

Looking ahead, what challenges or problems in your specialty do you hope future generations will address?

We hope that future generations of students and resident doctors will be ready to face the challenges of an increasingly complex healthcare ecosystem. We hope that our book will play a role in inspiring, equipping and empowering medical students and doctors to grow into effective leaders that can address the problems of our complex healthcare system with compassion and accountability. 

Is there anything else you would like to share about your book or its impact?  

We are really passionate about empowering medical students and resident doctors to be excellent leaders of the future. We would love to be contacted at [email protected]opens in new tab/window if you would like us to deliver any teaching on leadership skills for your students or team, discuss our book further or provide feedback on how our book has changed your perspective on leadership. 

Do you have an online presence we can connect with?

Maria Ahmad  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaahmad12/opens in new tab/window

Aaron Goh   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aarongohqy/opens in new tab/window  X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/aarongohqyopens in new tab/window  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aarongohqy/opens in new tab/window   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarongohqy/opens in new tab/window