Date

10-14-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Jesus Puga

Keywords

medical school leadership, academic support services

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of medical school leadership regarding the implementation of academic support services at a medical university in the Southeastern United States. The study was guided by the central research question: How did medical school leaders perceive and experience the implementation of academic support services for students within their institutions? Servant Leadership Theory (Greenleaf, 1970, 1977) provided the theoretical framework, emphasizing the leader’s responsibility to serve first, prioritizing the growth, development, and well-being of others while fostering shared decision-making and a culture of care. This framework offered a lens through which to examine how medical school leaders approached academic support in ways that promoted student flourishing and aligned with institutional missions. The study employed a qualitative case study design (Stake, 1995). Participants were selected through purposeful criterion sampling, identifying medical school leaders with direct roles or experience in the development or implementation of academic support services. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, surveys, and document analysis to ensure data triangulation and strengthen the study’s credibility and trustworthiness. Data analysis followed thematic procedures guided by Yin (2018), Moustakas (1994), and Creswell and Poth (2024), integrating multiple perspectives to identify patterns and insights into leadership practices and decision-making processes.

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