Academic Leadership Academy

A Certification Program offered by the UT Graduate School of Medicine

Certification Program Overview

Physicians undergo rigorous didactic and clinical education over many years in order to practice their specialties at a high level. However, academic physicians typically do not receive training in the art and science of adult learning theory and teaching, including instruction in leadership, mindsets, innovation, and adaptive challenges. Educational methods to most effectively impart this knowledge to future learners requires discipline-specific training and experience to develop this skill set to the fullest potential.

In addition, physicians often describe gaps in knowledge about basic academic processes such as grant writing, manuscript preparation, IRB submission, journal reviewing and various regulatory steps required to perform clinical, translational and basic science research. The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine and the University of Tennessee Medical Center recognize the importance of garnering national and international recognition as a first-class academic medical institution. A coordinated and comprehensive Academic Leadership Academy will provide interested faculty the opportunity to obtain the necessary tools to advance their academic careers and the mission of both institutions.

Scope and Focus

The program will be available to new and established UT GSM faculty who plan a career devoted to academic medicine. The inaugural group of learners will be carefully selected from applicants.

SUBMIT APPLICATION

A certificate will be given upon completion of the program.

The curriculum is divided into four main topics: Teaching/precepting, research and publications, academic career advancement, and academic leadership. Each of these main topics is divided into specific educational program plans that include two-hour CME sessions in the Educational Enhancement for Academic Physicians course series already implemented at UTGSM. In addition, four workshops of 4 hours each (with CME) will be specific to the Academic Leadership Certificate Program. Participants will be responsible for 2 independent projects, and will participate in one collaborative initiative with other learners in the Academic Leadership Academy.

Topics will be taught by experienced faculty and administrators from several departments. Many faculty on this campus have advanced teaching and faculty development training, as well as skills in specific topics listed above.

Expected Outcomes and Objectives

At the end of this yearlong program, learners will gain technical and adaptive skills to be able to:

• Educate residents effectively using adult learning theory
• Identify mindset changes inherent in effective faculty development
• Be able to differentiate technical tasks/challenges from adaptive tasks/challenges
• Develop research protocols that lead to publishable results
• Submit peer reviewed manuscripts delineating original research
• Navigate through regulatory steps including the Institutional Review Board
• Collaborate with colleagues to produce high-quality scholarly activity
• Define the pivotal roles of research personnel in the performance of multi-disciplinary research
• Employ a situational leadership style that will permit the participant to properly prepare for assuming a position of leadership within the academic system
• Submit quality grant applications

Program Content and Agenda

Educational Enhancement Course Series

• Attend 9 of the 12 sessions in the course series (2 hours of CME for each session)
• Participate in at least one session as a facilitator

SESSIONS

Interactive Workshop Sessions

• Saturday mornings, 4 in the course of the year.
• Attend all four.

January 23, 2021 Focus: LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

1. The Culture & Organizational Relationships of Our Campus (scales and/or discussion) what can we get as a consensus? What should be our academic goals?
2. Leadership Styles - situational leadership within our current culture
3. Collaboration within our current culture:
   
   • Coaching/Mentoring
   • Research
   • Diversity and Inclusion
4. Fixed vs Growth Mindsets

Session Objectives: By the end of this workshop, particpants will be able to:

• Design an educational initiative to enhance the teaching of residents, students or faculty at UT Graduate School of Medicine
• Complete IRB submission for collaborative projects
• Prepare project for presentation or publication
• Compare and contrast fixed v/s growth mindsets and the impact on academic achievement

April 17, 2021 Focus: LEADERSHIP - ECONOMICS AND NEGOTIATIONS

1. Leadership styles/preparing for a leadership position within the academic system based on a situational leadership approach
2. The art of negotiation
3. Resources within the GSM:
   • Faculty Affairs - recruitment, promotion, tenure
   • GME and the Designated Institutional Officer
   • CME - enriching faculty
   • Research
   • Dean's Office- meeting with the Dean
   • UHS and Off Campus resources
     
4. The Economics of GSM

Session Objectives: By the end of this workshop, particpants will be able to:

• Employ a situational leadership approach to prepare for leadership positions within the academic system
• Demonstrate the art of negotiation
• Enumerate the resources within GSM to facilitate
• Explain the economics of GSM

July 17, 2021 Focus: LIFELONG LEARNING AND DIVERSITY

1. The self-transforming mind as a construct for faculty development
2. The concept of lifelong learning and its application to faculty development
3. Diversity Medicine
4. #Metoo movement and a leader's responsibility

Session Objectives: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Examine the concept of the self-transforming mind and implications on faculty development
• Apply concepts of lifelong learning to personal faculty development goals
• Examine the importance of diversity in academic medicine
• Discuss the leader's responsibility in the response to the #Metoo movement

October 16, 2021 Focus: NATIONAL RECOGNITION

1. Preparing for and seeking national presentations (lectures, posters, plenary sessions)
2. Pathways to national recognition
3. Research in what you are already doing to create a body of work representing high level achievement
4. The social order in academic medicine

Session Objectives: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Embark on pathways to national recognition
• Identify targets for national presentations to share scholarly work
• Establish goals for scholarly activity representing academic achievement
• Articulate the social order in academic medicine

Independent Projects

• Formally review an article for a PubMed cited journal.
• Spend time with the staff of the Office of Clinical Trials and attend a minimum of two Oversite Committee meetings.

Accreditation

The University of Tennessee College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Education Credits

The University of Tennessee College of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.