Abstract
BACKGROUND: Healthcare provider leadership programs represent an intervention opportunity to support advancement of the national system of care and an evaluation of their program impacts is needed. Between 2016 and 2023, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) funded Clinical Scholars (CS), a three-year equity-centered leadership training program for US healthcare providers. CS recruited participants (referred to as Fellows) in cohorts and engaged them as members of interprofessional teams to transform their careers and the health of their communities. The aim of this study was to evaluate Fellows' perspectives on the success of CS, specifically the program elements and their importance for community well-being and sustainability. METHODS: We used the mixed methods group concept mapping (GCM) approach to evaluate Fellows' perspectives on program success. First, we conducted the qualitative phases of brainstorming, sorting, and rating with Fellows. Secondly, we conducted the quantitative phases using multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis and integrated the sorting and rating information from each Fellow to develop a series of concept maps. Finally, we conducted the interpretation phase to synthesize findings. Fellows (N = 177) across five cohorts were invited to participate in the study. RESULTS: Fifty-seven Fellows (32%) completed one or more GCM phases. A conceptual map emerged, consisting of seven thematic clusters, which showed that program value could be attributed to the following elements: "Resources", "Wicked Problem Impact Project (WPIP) Support", "Curriculum", "Thinking Bigger", "Leadership Training", "Networking", and "Teamwork." The pattern match showed that all seven clusters were highly rated by Fellows across the Community Well-being Impact and Sustainability domains. CONCLUSION: Study findings support the value of the RWJF-CS program strategy of long-term investment in the development of healthcare leaders with applied skills in interprofessional collaboration who will be prepared to continue addressing complex, multi-faceted challenges in the system of care.