Congratulations to the eighteen south Florida physicians who were selected as participants in the inaugural class of the Physician Leadership Academy of South Florida (PLA) for 2016-2017. The PLA is providing training and workshops on developing their leadership skills, information about health care issues facing Floridians and tools which will enable them to make significant differences in the leadership roles they presently hold and those they anticipate holding.
The Academy, being held under the auspices of the Palm Beach County Medical Society/Services (PBCMS) is a collaborative effort with the Broward County Medical Association (BCMA) and Dade County Medical Association (DCMA). During the first year of the PLA, six physicians were selected by the three local Medical Associations to participate in the Academy. Funded through a grant from the Physicians Foundation, the Academy has been endorsed by the Florida Medical Association, who is also providing CME’s.
During seven sessions held over eight months, physicians in the program are carrying out a leadership self-assessments and attending sessions on advocacy, media and communications, cultural competency, conflict resolution, building medical teams and becoming a transformative leader. In addition participants are working in six teams on six leadership projects which they selected from amongst 20 topics. At their graduation in May 2017 each team will present the progress they have made on their projects.
Steering Committee members overseeing the PLA are James Goldenberg, M D serving as Chair along with Jose Paco Arrascue, MD and Alan Pillersdorf, MD from Palm Beach County; Dana Wallace, MD and David Perloff, MD from Broward County and from Dade County Eduardo Martinez, MD and Alan Nullman, MD. Other members of the Steering Committee are Cynthia Peterson, Executive Vice President of the Broward Medical Association; Patricia Handler, Executive Vice President from the Dade County Medical Association and Tenna Wiles, Chief Executive Officer of the Palm Beach County Medical Society/Services.
Following confirmation of the grant from the Physicians Foundation for a second year of the Academy, the three Associations will accept new applications from physicians in the three participating counties. Thanks to the support from The Physicians Foundation, the cost for participants to attend the first and second years is free.
