2019-2020 Senior Leadership Development Program Cohorts

How It Works

The SLDP will take place over a one-year period consisting of five phases and will involve 4.5 days of on-site participation, as well as a number of conference calls over the course of the program.

Phase I: Personal and Interpersonal Competencies 

During Phase I, Fellows will explore how personality preferences influence leadership and performance. They will review self-assessments taken in preparation for the program and discuss behaviors associated with effective leadership. Other topics include identifying ways to improve working relationships, giving and receiving peer feedback about leadership challenges at Fellows’ home institutions, and developing an action plan for improving leadership practices. Fellows will develop personal and professional goals for the SLDP year.

Phase II: The Leader and Organizational Dynamics

Phase II focuses on the framework for academic leadership and the strategic planning process. Fellows will identify four distinct frames for understanding the COM as an organization and participate in a case study, applying the reframing model to interprofessional education and collaborative practice. They will identify steps for successful strategic planning, as well as their individual styles for managing conflicts and other difficult situations.   

Phase III: Administrative Issues in Leadership

Phase III addresses legal issues in the academic environment. Topics will include legal issues faced by academic administrators and, through cases studies, will explore strategies to address them. Phase III will also explore the basic tenets of higher education fundraising and identify the role of the dean in that process. This phase will also include ways to fine-tune core messages about osteopathic medical education and provide tips and tools for maximizing positive media coverage. 

Phase IV: Leading Oneself – Beyond the SLDP

Phase IV addresses managing stress, life balance, and time management. Topics will include defining the challenges of work-life balance and planning for life after leaving a leadership position. Fellows will develop strategies for succession planning that positively affect both their individual COMs and the future of osteopathic medicine.

Phase V: Wrap-Up and Review 

Phase V is the culmination of this one-year program and includes joint programming that engages graduating Fellows with the incoming SLDP class. This joint session will provide an opportunity for discussion about how graduating SLDP leaders have applied program content to daily challenges at their home institutions.

Key Dates

• Phase I – April 9, 2019, Washington, DC
• Phase II – July 24, 2019, Chicago, IL
• Phase III – November 20, 2019, Scottsdale, AZ
• Phase IV – January 2020, location to be determined, in conjunction with the AOA’s Leadership, Education, Advocacy & Development (LEAD) Conference
• Phase V – March 24, 2020, Washington, DC

Fees & Institutional Commitment

CME Credit

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Participation in the SLDP is based on a competitive application process. Preference is given to deans who are in their first deanship and who have served three years or less as a dean, or to named deans who are about to assume a deanship. 

Positions in the SLDP are also available for other senior leaders who aspire to become a dean during their career.  Applicants must be nominated by their dean. Non-AACOM members may self-nominate. 

Successful applicants will show evidence of the following:

• Outstanding success in past or current positions
• A clear track record of increasing administrative responsibilities
• Experience with responsibilities such as chairing committees, advising student groups, or mentoring faculty and students
• Participation in local, regional, or national professional development workshops
• A record of scholarly contributions through teaching or research

How to Apply

• 2 letters of recommendation
• Current CV
• Completed online application