Medical students’perceptions of physician leadership
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
University of Jyväskylä, Agora 2, Auditorium 2
Topic of the dissertation
Medical students’perceptions of physician leadership
Doctoral candidate
Licentiate of Medicine, Doctor of Science (Econ.) Sari Huikko-Tarvainen
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine
Subject of study
Doctoral Degree Programme in Medicine
Opponent
Professor Mats Brommels , Karolinska Institute
Custos
Professor Petri Kulmala, University of Oulu
Medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership.
Medical students’ interest in leadership roles has increased.
– Future physicians expect greater customization of their work responsibilities.
Dissertation: Medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership.
Specialist physician, MD, PhD, and DSc (Econ.) Sari Huikko-Tarvainen’s dissertation, completed at the University of Oulu, examines medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership. The study explored students’ interest in leadership roles, their views on what constitutes a good physician leader, and how physicians should be led. Participants were first‑ and sixth‑year medical students from the University of Oulu.
According to the dissertation, medical students’ perceptions of good leadership largely align with those of more experienced physicians. However, interest in leadership roles has increased, and the current generation of students is more actively expressing how they wish to be led. They also expect more customized work roles and want to be involved in the planning of workloads and responsibilities. Good physician leadership therefore recognizes the individuality of the physicians being led.
As earlier studies have shown, medical students prefer that their leaders also have a background in medicine. A new finding of this study is that the qualities expected of a good physician leader closely resemble the classic characteristics of a good physician. The roles of physician and leader share many similarities: both require leadership skills as well as expertise in operational management. Moreover, the medical profession entails a high level of responsibility, which naturally aligns with leadership roles. While not all physicians become formal leaders, every physician’s role involves informal leadership through their expertise. Legislation also assigns certain leadership responsibilities to physicians.
Since 2020, leadership competence has been included in the learning objectives for graduating physicians in Finland, an essential addition, as many of a physician’s core tasks inherently require leadership skills. The perspective of medical students on physician leadership has previously received little attention, even though they are the future physicians and physician leaders. Therefore, this dissertation also explored medical students’ perspectives from the perspective of leadership education. The findings can be used to further develop leadership training within the medical curriculum.
Given that medical education is already one of the longest and most demanding academic paths in Finland and considering the many parallels between the roles of physician and leader, some elements of leadership studies should ideally be integrated into the early stages of medical education. Introducing leadership education early in medical studies would better prepare physicians for leadership roles within the healthcare system. International research suggests that physician involvement in healthcare leadership improves organizational performance, the quality and safety of patient care, and cost-efficiency.
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The public defense of the doctoral dissertation “Medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership” by Specialist Physician, MD, PhD, Doctor of Science (Econ.) Sari Huikko-Tarvainen will take place on Friday, September 5, 2025, at 12:00 in Auditorium 2 of the Agora building at the University of Jyväskylä. The opponent will be Professor Mats Brommels (Karolinska Institute), and the custos will be Professor Petri Kulmala (University of Oulu). The defense will be conducted in Finnish.
The dissertation has been published electronically: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202505263927
The event can be followed live online: https://r.jyu.fi/dissertation-huikko-tarvainen-050925
After the defense, the remote audience will have the opportunity to ask questions by contacting the custos at 050 5647533.
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Sari Huikko-Tarvainen works as a Specialist in Dermatology and Allergology, lectures on leadership, and has served as a lecturer in leadership education programs for medical students, resident physicians, and dentists at the University of Oulu. She graduated with a Licentiate in Medicine from the University of Kuopio in 1996, became a Specialist in General Practice in 2003, and a Specialist in Dermatology and Allergology in 2008. She earned a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration from the Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics in 2017, completed her eMBA studies in 2013, and defended her first dissertation, Leadership in the physician’s profession, in 2022. She began her second dissertation research at the University of Oulu in 2020.
– Future physicians expect greater customization of their work responsibilities.
Dissertation: Medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership.
Specialist physician, MD, PhD, and DSc (Econ.) Sari Huikko-Tarvainen’s dissertation, completed at the University of Oulu, examines medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership. The study explored students’ interest in leadership roles, their views on what constitutes a good physician leader, and how physicians should be led. Participants were first‑ and sixth‑year medical students from the University of Oulu.
According to the dissertation, medical students’ perceptions of good leadership largely align with those of more experienced physicians. However, interest in leadership roles has increased, and the current generation of students is more actively expressing how they wish to be led. They also expect more customized work roles and want to be involved in the planning of workloads and responsibilities. Good physician leadership therefore recognizes the individuality of the physicians being led.
As earlier studies have shown, medical students prefer that their leaders also have a background in medicine. A new finding of this study is that the qualities expected of a good physician leader closely resemble the classic characteristics of a good physician. The roles of physician and leader share many similarities: both require leadership skills as well as expertise in operational management. Moreover, the medical profession entails a high level of responsibility, which naturally aligns with leadership roles. While not all physicians become formal leaders, every physician’s role involves informal leadership through their expertise. Legislation also assigns certain leadership responsibilities to physicians.
Since 2020, leadership competence has been included in the learning objectives for graduating physicians in Finland, an essential addition, as many of a physician’s core tasks inherently require leadership skills. The perspective of medical students on physician leadership has previously received little attention, even though they are the future physicians and physician leaders. Therefore, this dissertation also explored medical students’ perspectives from the perspective of leadership education. The findings can be used to further develop leadership training within the medical curriculum.
Given that medical education is already one of the longest and most demanding academic paths in Finland and considering the many parallels between the roles of physician and leader, some elements of leadership studies should ideally be integrated into the early stages of medical education. Introducing leadership education early in medical studies would better prepare physicians for leadership roles within the healthcare system. International research suggests that physician involvement in healthcare leadership improves organizational performance, the quality and safety of patient care, and cost-efficiency.
----------------
The public defense of the doctoral dissertation “Medical students’ perceptions of physician leadership” by Specialist Physician, MD, PhD, Doctor of Science (Econ.) Sari Huikko-Tarvainen will take place on Friday, September 5, 2025, at 12:00 in Auditorium 2 of the Agora building at the University of Jyväskylä. The opponent will be Professor Mats Brommels (Karolinska Institute), and the custos will be Professor Petri Kulmala (University of Oulu). The defense will be conducted in Finnish.
The dissertation has been published electronically: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202505263927
The event can be followed live online: https://r.jyu.fi/dissertation-huikko-tarvainen-050925
After the defense, the remote audience will have the opportunity to ask questions by contacting the custos at 050 5647533.
-----------------
Sari Huikko-Tarvainen works as a Specialist in Dermatology and Allergology, lectures on leadership, and has served as a lecturer in leadership education programs for medical students, resident physicians, and dentists at the University of Oulu. She graduated with a Licentiate in Medicine from the University of Kuopio in 1996, became a Specialist in General Practice in 2003, and a Specialist in Dermatology and Allergology in 2008. She earned a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration from the Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics in 2017, completed her eMBA studies in 2013, and defended her first dissertation, Leadership in the physician’s profession, in 2022. She began her second dissertation research at the University of Oulu in 2020.
Last updated: 7.8.2025