Overview

Leadership skills are essential for physicians, yet formal education in areas such as negotiation, communication, self-advocacy, and career development is often limited during surgical training. WISE (Women Inspire, Support, Elevate) 2.0 is a leadership curriculum developed within the UCSF Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. While the curriculum was designed to address leadership competencies that are particularly relevant to women in academic medicine, it is open to all members of the department. Building on prior leadership education research in otolaryngology the program evaluates how a structured leadership curriculum influences participants' confidence and perceived competence in key leadership skills.

The Curriculum

Wise 2.0 is a longitudinal leadership curriculum delivered over the 2026-2027 academic year. The program consists on six interactive sessions covering leadership topics including goal setting, negotiation, CV, and career development, confidence and communication, balance and motivation, and year-end reflection. Students residents, fellows, and faculty are all eligible to participate, creating opportunities for leadership development and collaboration across different career stages.

Evaluation

The curriculum will be evaluated using matched pre- and post-session surveys aligned with each session's learning objectives. Surveys assess participants' self-reported confidence and perceived competence in session-specific leadership skills. Participants also establish individual leadership goals at the beginning of the program and reflect on their progress at the end of the academic year, providing insight into both immediate learning and longitudinal professional development.

Impact

Wise 2.0 aims to strengthen leadership development with the UCSF Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery by evaluating a structured, longitudinal leadership curriculum. Findings in this project will guide future improvements to the WISE program while contributing to the growing body of scholarship on leadership education in otolaryngology. By sharing this work, the team hopes to inform similar leadership initiatives across academic medicine.