Twelve tips for managing change in medical education

Healthcare systems and organisations are continually exposed to change, and medical educators are increasingly expected to manage change, such as curriculum transformations and educational reforms. However, leading change can often be challenging, and medical educators often lack the resources, knowledge, and skills to successfully manage change initiatives. In managing change, it is important to recognise that organisations do not change, rather it is people that change, one person at a time. However, change can have a destabilising effect on individuals and an approach to support individuals through change is strongly advocated. This article offers twelve tips for managing change using the Prosci ADKAR model for achieving individual change. The article explores how ADKAR can be used as a systematic framework to guide the formulation of change management plans. Finally, the article considers the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and offers an appraisal of such frameworks and models during a time of unprecedented change and transform.