Developing Competent Clinical Leaders in Medical Imaging

Purpose To illustrate the need for further research dedicated to the development of clinical leadership competencies in the medical imaging curriculum. Methods Online journals and literature were searched to acquire published peer-reviewed articles associated with leadership, clinical competency, and curriculum design. Results Studies related to leadership, mentoring, and clinical competency were found in allied health and medical imaging literature. However, few empirical studies addressed the development of clinical leadership and competency in the field of medical imaging. Discussion The development and integration of clinical leadership competencies into the medical imaging curriculum are vital to the profession's progression. Although medical imaging faculty and clinical staff practice clinical leadership throughout the performance of their duties, there is no formalized integration of these competencies in the medical imaging curriculum. Using components of distributed leadership and mentoring while situating these competencies in the educational construct of experiential learning will allow medical imaging students to meet the health care industry's needs and more fully participate in the practice of clinical leadership. Conclusion There is an opportunity to explore the development of clinical leadership competencies that align with mentoring practices and the enhancement of clinical competency in medical imaging students.