Chair File: Developing the Next Generation of Health Care Leaders

Mentorship has been incredibly important in the career development of most health care leaders, including me. Learning from mentors and colleagues has helped me grow personally and professionally.

That’s why I encourage you to take a close look at the AHA Next Generation Leaders Fellowship. Now starting to recruit its second cohort, this program focuses on developing and mentoring leaders and empowering them to bring about lasting, positive change in the hospitals and health systems where they work.  

The roster of mentors for this year’s fellowship is impressive, including accomplished leaders at hospitals and health systems — large and small, urban and rural — across the country.

What makes this fellowship program unique is that the high-potential leaders who participate choose a challenge at their own organization and then work one-on-one with their mentor to complete a transformation project specific to that challenge. Along the way, fellows have many opportunities to interact with other fellows and mentors through discussions, virtual meetings and inquiry-based modules.

My own organization, Providence, was part of the inaugural fellowship program with my colleague Amy Compton-Phillips, M.D., president of clinical care, mentoring one fellow who focused on an Age-Friendly Health Systems project. I’m delighted that Amy plans to join the program again this year.

Curriculum for this year-long program is designed to develop strengths in the following areas: expanding innovation capacity, leading positive organizational change and driving digital transformation. In addition, the John A. Hartford Foundation is providing scholarships for a cohort of fellows who focus their transformation project on creating Age-Friendly Health Systems.

The fellowship program kicks off in July as part of the AHA Leadership Summit. Applications are due March 26, and you can find more information on the program and how to apply by visiting the Next Generation Leaders Fellowship webpages.

This is an outstanding opportunity to participate in an excellent mentorship program — or encourage an emerging leader at your health care organization to get involved.

I can’t think of a more vital time to be developing collaborative and innovative leaders for the future of health care. Let’s start now.

Rod Hochman, M.D.
AHA Chair