Mapping Self-Perceived Leadership Competencies Among Final-Year Syrian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Abstract Leadership competency is increasingly vital for effective healthcare delivery yet remains underexplored in Syrian medical education. This study assesses the self-perceived leadership competencies of final-year medical students in Syrian public and private universities to inform curriculum development and strengthen physician leadership training. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2024 to February 2025 using a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire based on the Medical Leadership Competency Framework. The instrument included 41 items across five domains, rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Participants were sixth-year medical students from Syrian universities. Descriptive statistics were computed, and group differences by gender, university type, and Academic Performance Percentage (APP) were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests as appropriate. A total of 119 responses were analyzed (response rate: 45.25%). Students reported high overall self-perceived leadership competencies (mean = 3.96). The domain “Improving Services” scored highest (mean = 4.11, SD = 0.51), while “Setting Direction” was lowest (mean = 3.71, SD = 0.63). No significant differences were found in total scores by gender, university type, or APP. However, males scored significantly higher on valuing feedback (AC2) and service improvement (AC33). Students from government universities self-rated higher on five items related to practical knowledge application, collaboration, patient-centered care, transparent communication, and proactive safety practices. Syrian medical students demonstrate strong self-perceived leadership skills, particularly in service improvement, but show a relative deficit in strategic direction-setting. The lack of major demographic differences supports the broad implementation of leadership training. Curricular integration of evidence-based, domain-specific leadership education, especially in strategic thinking and feedback utilization, is recommended. Future studies should employ objective and longitudinal methods to enhance physician leadership readiness.