Elizabeth Puscheck, M.D., M.S., Chair of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is now a graduate of the only in-depth national program dedicated to preparing senior women faculty at schools of medicine, dentistry and public health to move into positions of institutional leadership. Her class of 54 fellows graduated April 15 from the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program for women at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Established in 1995, ELAM offers an intensive one-year program of leadership training with extensive coaching, networking and mentoring opportunities aimed at expanding the national pool of qualified women candidates for leadership in academic medicine, dentistry and public health.
"It was a terrific program with spectacular faculty," Dr. Puscheck said.
It was also timely for Dr. Puscheck, who was appointed chair in December.
"I can now implement what I've learned, and pick up the phone and talk with a great new network of people on a wide variety of topics," she said.
The fellows were divided into learning groups of six, and Dr. Puscheck said her group bonded and will hold monthly conference calls and reconvene annually.
"I think it's very useful to talk with people outside of your own institution that are familiar with similar issues, and that know and support you," she said.
Dr. Puscheck is the School of Medicine's third graduate of the program, joining Maryjean Schenk, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., vice dean for Medical Education, and Suzanne White, M.D., Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Valerie M. Parisi, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine, joined 25 other deans who traveled to Philadelphia to attend the ELAM graduation.
"ELAM is one of the premier leadership programs in the country and it was important for me to show Liz my support and how proud I am of her accomplishment," Dean Parisi said. "Liz is already an excellent leader. ELAM has allowed her valuable time to reflect on her leadership skills and her career. The enhanced skills and ideas she's brought back will help the entire school grow and improve."
Tsveti Markova, M.D., associate professor of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences and associate dean for Graduate Medical Education/Designated Institutional Official for sole sponsored programs, has been accepted into the 2011-2012 ELAM class.
Dean Parisi said, "The ultimate goal is to create a cadre of senior leaders that will serve as mentors throughout the School of Medicine."
The Junior Faculty Scholars Program, which was initiated by Dean Parisi and started with funding from Dr. and Mrs. Farhad Shokoohi, supports attendance of ELAM by faculty who demonstrate potential for assuming executive leadership.
According to ELAM, despite the greater numbers of women matriculating at the nation's medical, dental and public health schools, women are still significantly underrepresented within the top most administrative ranks of academic health centers, even though there is a widely acknowledged need to diversify leadership and improve cultural and gender sensitivity in health care training and delivery.
While attaining higher levels within executive ranks is the program's primary focus, ELAM encourages its graduates to pursue the full diversity of roles within their organizations that offer opportunities for leadership.
ELAM has nearly 700 graduates at more than 110 U.S. and Canadian academic health centers.