The World Health Organisation estimates that 2 million women undergo some form of female genital mutilation (FGM) annually. Because of increasing migration, clinicians in the UK are increasingly exposed to women who have suffered FGM. Recognising this trend, the RCOG has set standards for guidance of health professionals caring for women with FGM. As yet, no study has assessed levels of knowledge of FGM among relevant health professionals. An anonymous structured questionnaire based on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' standards was circulated among staff at a University Teaching Hospital. A total of 45 participants completed the questionnaire. Only 40% were familiar with the regulations in the FGM Act of 2003; 58% were unable to list the different categories of FGM; 47% incorrectly thought that caesarean section is the best way of managing FGM if vaginal examination is not possible in the first stage of labour and 54% chose anterior episiotomy as the treatment of choice during the second stage. Our study found that there were significant gaps both in theoretical knowledge and practice.

Leadership development continues to be a topic of conversation, education, and research. Reflection has been named as one of the key competencies needed for effective leaders particularly as the workplace grows more complex and multicultural. But how does one develop reflective skill in college students, the leaders of the future? This paper reviews the concept of the "reflective leader," the importance of reflection as a key component in the development of future leaders, and suggests strategies for incorporating reflection in leadership education as well as mechanisms for its assessment.

Institutions of higher education are increasingly focused on student outcomes such as persistence. This study investigated factors that contribute to a sense of belonging, a key contributor to persistence, in business students attending a small 4-year public commuter campus in the Midwest. A survey was administered to students in an introductory business course with a first-year experience component to examine three categories of variables: student demographics, faculty interventions, and student activities. Using logistic regression, three faculty interventions showed a significant correlation with sense of belonging: faculty encouragement, faculty empowerment, and faculty interest. These results suggest that when commuter campuses are successful in cultivating caring, positive relationships between students and faculty, their student’s sense of belonging may be enhanced and persistence improved. This is important because these factors are within the control of a commuter campus, which tends to have fewer options and more challenges in enhancing persistence than residential campuses.

This account of practice discusses the author's experience in facilitating a small group of managers in health care over lunchtime utilizing an action learning approach. This was part of a larger leadership development initiative which took place in the organization and the intention was to create a more intimate, informal and safe setting whereby the group could further delve into the collaborative learning process, explore issues around leadership, garner feedback about the formal programming, gain insight into larger organizational issues, and perhaps develop strategies for change. Outcomes achieved include better meeting management, revision of an organizational communication forum, the development of a training program for performance management, as well as plans for more collaboration with upper administration and the development of a mentoring program. In summary, this venue created a supportive space whereby all aspects of a problem could be explored and resolutions could be formulated and acted upon. IntroductionOver the course of 4 years, my colleague and I facilitated a leadership development program for managers at a neighboring hospital. The LEAD program (Leadership Education and Development) was the result of a collaborative effort between our university faculty and representatives from the hospital. Ultimately, this program reached out to over 110 directors, managers, and team leaders and several changes were effected in the organization. Although we began this process using a more traditional, lecture-based format with little time for discussion, our approach evolved into one which utilized action learning. Participants engaged in dialog and problem-solving, were charged with trying a solution back in the workplace and were expected to return the next month with some reflection upon the effectiveness of the resolution.

Drawing on their experience in a Midwest healthcare system, the authors propose a model of leadership development through action learning that embraces 'concentric collaboration' at its core. The present study suggests that the process of concentric collaboration can serve to strengthen the skills of the individual leader as well as foster collective leadership. Central to the model is the growth and development of the individual leader which extends outward to create connections with others, ultimately increasing the social capital necessary to effect organizational change. This work contributes to the leadership development literature by offering a comprehensive model that includes the process of individual growth as well as collective capacity, organizational factors that support or inhibit this process as well as implications for practice.