A Systematic Review of Physician Leadership and Emotional Intelligence

Abstract Objective This review evaluates the current understanding of emotional intelligence (EI) and physician leadership, exploring key themes and areas for future research. Literature Search We searched the literature using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Business Source Complete for articles published between 1990 and 2012. Search terms included physician and leadership, emotional intelligence, organizational behavior, and organizational development. All abstracts were reviewed. Full articles were evaluated if they addressed the connection between EI and physician leadership. Articles were included if they focused on physicians or physicians-in-training and discussed interventions or recommendations. Appraisal and Synthesis We assessed articles for conceptual rigor, study design, and measurement quality. A thematic analysis categorized the main themes and findings of the articles. Results The search produced 3713 abstracts, of which 437 full articles were read and 144 were included in this review. Three t...