Dr. Joan St. Onge Selected for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program
Joan St. Onge, M.D., M.P.H., senior associate dean for graduate medical education and faculty affairs at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been selected for the 2021-2022 class of fellows in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) program.
“It is a privilege to be chosen as the next Miller School fellow in this highly competitive program for women in academic medicine,” said Dr. St. Onge. “Along with building individual and team leadership skills, the ELAM® program incorporates an action project designed to have an impact on each participating academic institution.”
Dr. Joan St. Onge
Established in 1995, the one-year ELAM program includes extensive coaching, networking and mentoring opportunities for women leaders in academic medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy programs. Hosted by the Drexel University College of Medicine, the ELAM program was developed for senior women faculty at the associate or full professor level at academic health centers.
“This outstanding honor for Dr. St. Onge is a reflection of the strength of her contribution to the Miller School’s faculty, residents, students and patients throughout a truly distinguished academic career,” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer.
Dr. St. Onge was one of 60 women selected for the ELAM program, whose recent Miller School graduates include Omaida C. Velazquez, M.D., professor and chair of the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, and Lilian Abbo, M.D., professor of clinical medicine and past president of Women in Academic Medicine.
“Mentorship is one of the most important components of the program,” said Dr. St. Onge. “All faculty members can benefit from mentoring and coaching – not just women. In this program we will learn more about being an effective mentor, coach and sponsor for our faculty and trainees, helping them advance in their careers.”
Leadership development is a priority for the Miller School’s Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development, added Dr. St. Onge. “It is easy to fall into certain roles and habits as leaders,” she said. “However, we all need to continue to learn and improve our skills. The more effective we are as leaders, the stronger our school becomes.”
The ELAM program also supports diversity and inclusion initiatives at the nation’s medical schools. Although the number of women entering medical school has reached parity with men, women are under-represented in senior leadership positions, said Dr. St. Onge. She added that it is particularly important to recruit faculty from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and support their career goals.
The one-year program will conclude with the annual ELAM Leaders Forum on April 22, 2022. It will include a poster symposium showcasing the outcomes of the fellows’ institutional action projects.
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