Department Chairs and Administrators Engage in Interprofessional Leadership Development

Aug. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- Atlanta, GA, August 11, 2012 -- Department chairs and other academic administrators traveled from around the world to attend the Chairs and Academic Administrators Management Program (CAAMP) that was held on July 19-22 at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta, GA. CAAMP is an interprofessional, open-enrollment course designed for administrative leaders in health professions education. The program focuses on imparting the skills required by individuals in these positions so they can balance the demands and priorities they face, while meeting the needs of their institutions, departments, and academic programs.

CAAMP was created in 2009 by the Academy for Academic Leadership (AAL) to address the unique challenges and opportunities encountered by department chairs and academic administrators within colleges and schools of the health professions where responsibilities often extend to the oversight of clinical and patient care services and externally funded research initiatives. Since its inception, over 200 department chairs and academic administrators have participated in CAAMP.

"The greatest challenge to chairs is to continue the forward vision and to maintain, at the highest levels, mission-critical activities in the face of burgeoning budget pressures," said Dr. Hershey Bell, AAL Senior Consultant, and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Professor of Family Medicine, and Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie, PA. "Chairs have to make tough decisions relative to programs and people. In order to be effective, they have to possess an absolute grasp on organization mission, vision, and strategic thinking. And they need to be able to communicate their decision-making to faculty and staff effectively." Commenting on the interprofessional nature of CAAMP, Dr. Karl Haden, AAL President, observed, "In today's health care system, interprofessional collaboration grows in significance. Those in the health professions must know how to communicate across professional borders to achieve quality health care for patients."

The interprofessional design of CAAMP included participants from allied health, dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, administration, and veterinary medicine. "Experiencing first-hand this hallmark of interprofessional leadership development will hopefully produce champions for this way of educating future health professionals with the attitudes and skills needed to provide high quality team-based health care for all," said AAL Senior Consultant Dr. Clyde Evans. CAAMP participants developed their leadership abilities through personal assessments and through professional and peer coaching. Sessions included addressing legal issues, faculty performance and assessment, strategic planning, conflict management, work-life balance, and building interprofessional education initiatives. CAAMP is held annually each summer in Atlanta, GA through AAL. To learn more about the program, visit www.academicleaders.org/CAAMP.

About AAL
The Academy for Academic Leadership, (AAL) is committed to personal, professional, and organizational transformation. Since 2005, AAL has provided customized professional development, leadership training, and consulting services for more than 100 higher education institutions throughout the world. For more information on AAL, visit www.academicleaders.org.

About Academy for Academic Leadership:
The Academy for Academic Leadership, (AAL) is committed to personal, professional, and organizational transformation. Since 2005, AAL has provided customized professional development, leadership training, and consulting services for more than 100 higher education institutions throughout the world.

Contact:
Paige Metzger
Academy for Academic Leadership
1870 The Exchange Ste. 100
Atlanta, GA  30339
404-350-2098
404-350-2099
pmetzger@academicleaders.org
http://www.academicleaders.org