About the program
The Physician Leadership Development Program has been delivered in a virtual or hybrid environment for the past three cohorts. However, we’ve seen and heard the value of physician in-person connection, so Cohort 8 will be delivered fully in-person.
Through this program, you will have the opportunity to:
- Connect with your peers: connect with colleagues across the province in person to learn from each other and collaborate on real Nova Scotia healthcare challenges.
- Develop skills you can put into practice right away: learn practical leadership skills to affect positive and sustainable change within your team or organization.
- Strengthen your sphere of influence: explore and apply strategies and tactics to influence and advocate for positive change within your team or organization.
- Develop the skills to lead inclusively: develop practical approaches to build a culture of wellness and belonging within your teams. Foster skills to encourage curiosity, self-awareness, and perspective-seeking.
- Access thought leaders: access thought leaders through fireside chats, working with project sponsors, and networking with interested parties in health care and leadership to enrich your knowledge, skills, and network.
- Enhance self-awareness through coaching: deepen your self-awareness and capacity through individual and team coaching support.
Investment and return
The PLDP costs $12,000 per physician participant; DNS covers $8,000 of that fee per physician, which leaves each physician responsible for covering the remaining $4,000 in program fees, plus any costs associated with travel to and accommodations in the Halifax area.
The PLDP is applicable for CPD funding. Additional professional development funding opportunities may be available to physicians. Applicants are encouraged to ask their employer, where applicable.
In return for this investment, participants will receive:
- An orientation session*
- Six in-person leadership training modules
- Six, one-hour individual coaching sessions over the course of the program
- Four group coaching sessions over the course of the program
- CPD credits
- Leadership certificate
*Participants must attend the orientation session and all six modules of the program.
Time commitment
The eighth session of the PLDP will run from September 2026 to May 2027.
| Module | Location and date |
| Orientation | Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 |
| Module 1 | Friday, Oct. 23 & Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026 |
| Module 2 | Friday, Nov. 27 & Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026 |
| Module 3 | Friday, Jan. 22 & Saturday, Jan. 23, 2027 |
| Module 4 | Friday, Feb. 19 & Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027 |
| Module 5 | Friday, April 2 & Saturday, April 3, 2027 |
| Module 6 – Graduation | April 30 & Saturday, May 1, 2027 |
In addition to the six modules and the orientation sessions, participants will also:
- Complete a 360-degree leadership assessment (prior to Module 1)
- Participate in a physician learning project that requires two to five hours of work between modules
