Jennings Accepted Into National Leadership Program

OKLAHOMA CITY – University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Associate Professor Lee Jennings, M.D., chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, has been selected for the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) program, one of the nation’s top leadership fellowships in academic health care.

Jennings, an OU Health geriatrician, will be a fellow in the year-long program, which provides leadership training with extensive coaching, networking and mentoring opportunities. She is among approximately 100 faculty members nationwide chosen this year through a competitive process. She was selected in recognition of her leadership in geriatrics and palliative medicine, her nationally relevant research on dementia care delivery, and her commitment to training the next generation of physicians.

“This is going to be a wonderful opportunity to expand my skill set for leadership,” Jennings said. “I look forward to networking with a group of people who have similar aspirations. I also think it will help me come up with new ideas for the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine and to think more broadly about innovations we want to implement within the university health system.”

As part of ELAM, she will develop an Institutional Action Project focused on advances she’d like to make at the OU College of Medicine. Her ideas include growing the palliative medicine program, both clinically and by building a pipeline of trainees and faculty members entering the field. She also wants to increase health services research on campus. Her own research focuses on improving the delivery of dementia care.

“Dr. Jennings exemplifies the qualities this prestigious fellowship seeks to recognize – visionary leadership, deep compassion for her patients and a commitment to advancing academic medicine,” said Isabella Grumbach, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. “Her work has already had a meaningful impact on our patients, learners and faculty, and this recognition is a testament to her leadership skills.”

OU College of Medicine Executive Dean Ian Dunn, M.D., said Jennings’ selection for ELAM is an honor for both her and the college.

“This recognition reflects Dr. Jennings’ exceptional talent and dedication as a physician-scientist and leader,” Dunn said. “Her work makes her an outstanding representative of our institution on the national stage.”

Jennings said her acceptance into ELAM demonstrates the OU College of Medicine’s support for developing its faculty members. She is motivated by that support to create innovations that ultimately improve the lives of the patients she serves.

“My clinical work focuses on older adults with cognitive impairment, and my leadership, education and research goals are driven by that,” Jennings said. “I’m troubled when I see a caregiver struggling to take care of their mom at home or if someone can’t afford a medication they need. That has spurred me to help create better models of care within our academic health system. At the end of the day, I want to use my skills to have a system of care that works for all people.”

ELAM, now in its 31^st year, has more than 1,800 alumni who hold leadership positions at 300 institutions around the country. The program is hosted by the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.

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About the University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university with campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. In Oklahoma City, the OU Health Campus is one of the nation’s few academic health centers with seven health profession colleges located on the same campus. The OU Health Campus serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs spanning Oklahoma City and Tulsa and is the leading research institution in Oklahoma. For more information about the OU Health Campus, visit www.ouhsc.edu.