Today's complex health care environment coupled with the 80-hour workweek mandate has required that surgical resident team interactions evolve from a military command-and-control style to a collaborative leadership style.

A novel educational curriculum was implemented with objectives of training the residents to have the capacity/ability to create and manage powerful teams through alignment, communication, and integrity integral tools to practicing a collaborative leadership style while working 80 hours per week. Specific strategies were as follows: (1) to focus on quality of patient care and service while receiving a high education-to-service ratio, and (2) to maximize efficiency through time management.

This article shows that leadership training as part of a resident curriculum can significantly increase a resident's view of leadership in the areas of alignment, communication, and integrity; tools previously shown in business models to be vital for effective and efficient teams.

This curriculum, over the course of the surgical residency, can provide residents with the necessary tools to deliver efficient quality of care while working within the 80-hour workweek mandate in a more collaborative style environment.