Objective To investigate the influencing factors on the promotion and appointment of reserve management talents in public hospitals, providing references for the full-cycle management of these talents. Methods A case-control study was conducted on reserve management talents at West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2016 to 2023 to explore factors associated with their promotion and appointment. Results A total of 348 reserve management talents were included, with 102 in the promoted group and 246 in the non-promoted group. Univariate analysis revealed that age, academic degree, length of hospital service, employment type, professional title, supervisor type, and whether serving as a medical team leader were significantly associated with promotion (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that reserve management talent category [part-time project supervisor vs. part-time dean’s assistant: odds ratio (OR)=0.050, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.004, 0.594), P=0.018], doctoral degree [OR=9.279, 95%CI (2.626, 32.792), P=0.001], >10 years of hospital service [OR=3.598, 95%CI (1.892, 6.842), P<0.001], and supervisor type [master’s supervisor vs. non-supervisor: OR=2.234, 95%CI (1.148, 4.349), P=0.018; doctoral supervisor vs. non-supervisor: OR=7.604, 95%CI (2.882, 20.061), P<0.001] as independent predictors of promotion. Conclusion Reserve management talent category, advanced academic degrees (doctorate), longer service duration (>10 years), and qualification as a graduate supervisor are independent predictors of promotion to management positions, highlighting the competitive advantage of candidates with academic credentials, practical experience, and competencies in both teaching and administration.