Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Academic Leadership Program

The Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Academic Leadership Program (ALP) is on hold for AY24. Please contact Angelique Harris, PhD at acharris@bu.edu with questions.

The Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Academic Leadership Program (ALP) is a selective program for high potential faculty from Underrepresented Groups (URG*) in Medicine who would benefit from protected time to complete a project that will advance their careers. The program addresses concerns raised by URG faculty in a BUMG 12/2019 needs assessment concerning lack of protected time, mentoring, and writing support. Potential program participants will apply with a project that will substantively advance their careers, a clear timeline, and specific deliverable that can be accomplished within the academic year. In addition, faculty will be provided with 4 types of mentoring: a leadership sponsor; a senior mentor with expertise relevant to the project; writing coaching; and peer mentoring. Faculty will receive .10 FTE for the academic year.

Louis W. Sullivan, MD earned his medical degree from the Chobanian & Avedisian SOM in 1958 before becoming the Co-Director of Hematology at BUMC and later, he founded the Boston University Hematology Service at Boston City Hospital. He remained at BUMC, serving as Professor of Medicine until 1975, when he left to become the founding Dean and Director of the Medical Education Program at Morehouse College. Dr. Sullivan later served as the first dean and president of Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Sullivan went on to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George H.W. Bush. Subsequently, Dr. Sullivan established the Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce in 2003, before organizing the Sullivan Alliance in 2005, a 501c.3 to promote diversity in the health professions.

Target Audience:

  • BUMG URG faculty
  • Preference given to those who have completed 1 FDD program
  •  ≥2 years @ institution with demonstrated commitment to Chobanian & Avedisian SOM/BMC

Program Structure & AY 23 Time Commitment:

  • Meet with Dr. Angelique Harris 4X for project, career, & writing coaching
  • Meet with Dr. Emelia Benjamin 2X to review CV & career advancement
  • Meet with senior mentor 9X to discuss project goals & timelines
  • Meet 1x a month for 11 sessions, July to June, on Fridays from 3-5pm via zoom
    • July 15, 2022
    • Sept 16, 2022
    • Oct 21, 2022
    • Nov 18, 2022
    • Dec 16, 2022
    • Jan 13, 2023
    • Feb 10, 2023
    • Mar 10, 2023
    • April 7, 2023
    • May 5, 2023
    • May 26, 2023

Content:
The components of the program include:

  1. Senior Mentoring. Participants will receive mentoring on leadership and professional development from university leaders. Each participant will interview 2-3 senior leader to identify fit and commit to meeting with once a month.
  2. Peer Mentoring. Participants develop peer mentoring skills to provide mutual support as a means of encouragement and accountability for successfully achieving their writing goals.
  3. Final Project Goal. Participants commit to completing a project that will advance their professional careers during the course of the academic year
  4. Participant Commitment. Participants commit to actively work on their project, meet with their mentors, and receive coaching.

*The NIH defines under-represented racial and ethnic groups in the biomedical sciences as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans/Alaska Natives who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment, Hawaiian Natives and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands

For more information about this program, please contact our office at bumcfdd@bu.edu.