Background A master’s programme in Health Systems Leadership and Innovation was launched in 2016 to integrate health systems science and innovation management within the medical education continuum.

Objectives To identify faculty and staff perceptions of tailoring the programme to accommodate potential future learning needs as a continuous quality improvement initiative of the programme.

Methods A combination of two qualitative research methodologies was used: (1) a situational analysis to explain context and (2) a collaborative autoethnographic approach to understand the evolution of the programme and future directions. Faculty and staff involved with the programme were invited to participate after obtaining institutional research ethics approval. In conducting a collaborative autoethnography, all authors are participants who narrate, analyse and theorise about their individual and or collective experiences.

Results Nine faculty and three staff members narrated their perceptions of the programme. The situational analysis identified major internal and external actors, major processes and external actants relevant to the programme. It also outlined the multiple overlapping social arenas where the students, faculty and staff were situated through a social world map and differing positions of the authors with respect to the programme’s future learners. The master narrative identified an urgent need for internal and external communications about the programme and to revisit course delivery methods. The authors were divided in their opinion as to whether the programme should continue to cater to undergraduate medical students or focus on physicians or have learners from multiple educational levels in the same class.

Conclusions The programme needs marketing, continuous course assessments and revisions to ensure visibility and relevance. The programme offers a flexible pathway for students at different stages in the career path from novice medical students to consultant physicians, and tensions related to the level of medical education hierarchy in the class are being managed by the faculty.