Ambika Mathur, Ph.D., professor of Pediatrics and director of the M.D./Ph.D. Program for the Wayne State University School of Medicine, has been selected as a member of the 2013-14 class of fellows of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program® at Drexel University College of Medicine.

This is the 19th incoming class for the only program in North America dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in academic health science institutions, where they enhance institutional leadership diversity while contributing to organizational strategy and innovation.

“I’m very pleased to have this opportunity to enhance my leadership skills, and am thankful for the support and encouragement of the dean’s office,” said Dr. Mathur, who also leads graduate education at Wayne State University as interim dean of the WSU Graduate School. She also is director of the Postdoctoral Affairs Office for the School of Medicine.

Upon completion of the one-year fellowship, Dr. Mathur, of Northville, Mich., will join a community of highly accomplished leaders. More than 800 alumnae around the world serve in a variety of leadership positions, including department chairs, research center directors, deans and college presidents as well as chief executives in health care and accrediting organizations.

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.

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 is one of the premier leadership programs in the country,” said Valerie M. Parisi, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., dean of the WSU School of Medicine and a graduate of the program. “Dr. Mathur is already an excellent leader. ELAM will enhance those skills, and she will help the entire school grow and improve.”