What Makes an Effective Chief of Pediatric Cardiology: Insights from Chiefs of Programs Globally

While the position of a pediatric cardiology chief is seen as the apex of one’s academic career, its roles, responsibilities, and qualifications are not well defined in literature. We previously surveyed North American pediatric cardiology chiefs to characterize these qualities. It is not known if these findings apply across programs around the world. This study was done to gain further insight of the role and attributes of a pediatric cardiology chief beyond North American programs by surveying those who are currently serving the position around the world. This was a mixed-methods study that sent a survey out to pediatric cardiology chiefs from around the world. The survey was a semi-structured questionnaire independently reviewed by three cardiologists. The survey included items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, open-ended prompts, and targeted questions regarding the chief’s role and qualifications. Thirty two pediatric cardiology chiefs from 23 countries completed the survey. The four most important traits for the role of chief included communication, honesty, work ethic, and management skills. During the chief’s tenure, 60–75% of responses noted a change in faculty and trainee work ethic and 50–60% of responses also reported increased expectations from patient families and hospital administration. Thematic analysis on the challenges and success of running a department revealed the importance of building a well-functioning team and individuals possessing clinical excellence and a strong identity. This global survey captures current perspectives on the role of a pediatric cardiology chief across multiple healthcare systems and evolving practices. Awareness of such key attributes may help promote effective leadership skills as chiefs of pediatric cardiology.