Two ‘Life-changing’ Leadership Programs Now Open for Applications
September 16, 2024
Nearly a year after graduating from the AAN’s Women Leading in Neurology Program, Amaal J. Starling, MD, FAAN, still talks to her fellow participants nearly every day.
“I was in a cohort with nine other brilliant, compassionate women from across the country, and we’re still very active in our WhatsApp group,” she said. “We were just talking to each other yesterday—going back and forth to troubleshoot different challenges in our lives.”
The Women Leading in Neurology Program, along with the Transforming Leaders Program, are accepting applications through October 17, 2024. Both programs kick off early next year and include coaching and mentorship, virtual and in-person programming, attendance at the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting in San Diego, and top-tier leadership training. The AAN covers all program-related expenses for the selected participants.
Women Leading in Neurology Program
The Women Leading in Neurology Program is designed to help mid-career participants tackle gender disparities, create a peer network with other women, and advance as leaders. Starling called it a “life-changing experience” that completely shifted her approach to leadership and her career.
“In medicine, you often have your head down, working as hard as you can for the next step—you need to build your resume to apply to medical school, then residency, then fellowship, then your first job, and then promotions,” she said. “You’re constantly moving. And for me personally, I had never taken the space to stop and evaluate what I was doing. Now, I no longer feel trapped. I always know that I have a process I can go through to figure out when and how to redirect.”
The program includes one-on-one coaching and mentorship, three face-to-face meetings, five virtual training sessions, and monthly forums with other participants. Participants build strong relationships with one another, engage with AAN leadership, and join an exclusive leadership alumni community.
Starling, a neurologist specializing in headache disorders at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, said she’s noticed big changes in her professional life.
“I’m no longer waiting to be asked to lead,” she said. “I’m no longer waiting for permission to take a stand. If I have an idea that I think is worthwhile, it’s something I bring up to whichever audience needs to hear it. I’ve found that I’m a better advocate, not only for myself but for my colleagues and my patients. I’ve also felt less burnt out—that feeling like you’re on a hamster wheel and there’s no way off.”
Transforming Leaders Program
The Transforming Leaders Program, also intended for mid-career professionals, helps innovative leaders gain the tools to transform their practice communities and make a positive impact in neurology.
“We’ve become more aware of our strengths—which are kind of our signature, right?” said 2024 participant Varina Boerwinkle, MD. “Then we can amplify those strengths when a situation calls for them.”
One unique aspect of the program is that participants tackle both individual and group projects. Boerwinkle’s individual project involves helping her institution, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, explore a more connected approach for its pediatric neuroscience care, making the process easier to navigate for families whose children have complex neurological needs.
The individual projects help participants grow as leaders, while also directly impacting patient care. In the group project, participants challenge, support, and learn from one another while growing as leaders. These assignments aren’t only for personal development, however—they have a ripple effect on institutions and beyond.
“A large impetus of the program is to develop great leaders within the field of neurology and for those leaders to become major contributors on the national level,” Boerwinkle said. “It’s been a wonderful experience for me, and I feel like I’ve gained some very valuable friendships. I look forward to many Annual Meetings yet to come with my group of Transforming Leaders peers.”
Like the Women Leading in Neurology Program, the Transforming Leaders Program includes coaching and mentorship, three face-to-face meetings, and membership in an exclusive alumni community. Participants also get specialized project support and join regular group calls.