Program develops women leaders in academic medicine
School of Medicine professor Barbara McLaughlin recently completed a unique program to develop leadership, management, and networking skills among women in university medical programs across the country.
The year-long program, called Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine, emphasizes in-depth case analysis, experiential learning through small-group teamwork, financial analysis and budget planning. Also addressed are strategic planning, negotiation tactics and consensus building. The end goal is to place more women in senior leadership roles throughout academic medicine, which traditionally has been dominated by men.
McLaughlin, who also is associate dean of research in the School of Medicine, described the program as a "wonderful experience."
"ELAM provides a road map for career advancement and success," she explained. "You learn how to persuade people who aren't easily persuaded, you learn how to build a consensus for something you feel strongly about, and you begin to think with more vision by developing the skills to accomplish long-range goals."
For practical experience, each ELAM participant is required to develop and implement a project that will aid her institution. McLaughlin, for example, helped improve recruitment strategies to attract more students into UofL's biomedical sciences graduate program. Now she's exploring the development of a master's program in biotechnology, perhaps to be run in conjunction with another state university.
Another important aspect of ELAM are the personal ties it forms.
"You develop, along with your classmates, a camaraderie and a closeness," McLaughlin said.
"That forms a life-long network of women you can contact and use in the future. That's very helpful when, for example, you're seeking candidates for chair or dean or provost at your institution."
McLaughlin now joins three other School of Medicine faculty who have completed the program. Katherine Wisner, Laura Schweitzer and Linda Lucas all are ELAM fellows.
Together, the four plan to hold an ELAM seminar on campus in September. The event, which is open to all faculty and staff, will feature presentations on several of the subjects covered in ELAM's curriculum.
Schweitzer, associate vice president for health affairs and interim dean of the school of Allied Health Sciences, said programs like ELAM are essential for enhancing the academic environment at UofL.
"From a systemic standpoint, training women leaders in academic medicine has a very positive effect on the quality of leadership we have," Schweitzer said.
"It's an investment on the part of the School of Medicine that works for everyone."
