RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Exploring and understanding academic leadership in family medicine JF Canadian Family Physician JO Can Fam Physician FD The College of Family Physicians of Canada SP e162 OP e167 VO 59 IS 3 A1 Oandasan, Ivy A1 White, David A1 Hammond Mobilio, Melanie A1 Gotlib Conn, Lesley A1 Feldman, Kymm A1 Kim, Florence A1 Rouleau, Katherine A1 Sorensen, Leslie YR 2013 UL http://www.cfp.ca/content/59/3/e162.abstract AB Objective To explore how family physicians understand the concept of academic leadership. Design Case study. Setting Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto in Ontario. Participants Thirty family physician academic leaders. Methods Focus groups and interviews were conducted with family physicians from a large multisite urban university who were identified by peers as academic leaders at various career stages. Transcripts from the focus groups and interviews were anonymized and themes were analyzed and negotiated among 3 researchers. Main findings Participants identified qualities of leadership among academic leaders that align with those identified in the current literature. Despite being identified by others as academic leaders, participants were reluctant to self-identify as such. Participants believed they had taken on early leadership roles by default rather than through planned career development. Conclusion This study affirms the need to define academic leadership explicitly, advance a culture that supports it, and nurture leaders at all levels with a variety of strategies.