Kristen Rundell accepted into executive leadership program

Kristen Rundell, MD, a professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, has been accepted into the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program hosted by Drexel University. 

The intensive, one-year fellowship offers leadership training with coaching and networking aimed at expanding the national pool of qualified candidates for leadership positions in academic medicine and other health sciences fields.

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“I am excited to start this fellowship and begin using the skills I learn to continue my personal and professional mission of training the next generation of physicians through education, clinical practice and research to provide the best care for our patients and the community I serve,” said Rundell, who has been at the U of A since 2001. “I have wanted to participate in ELAM for quite a while. It is an extraordinary organization that provides opportunities to gain knowledge, skills and experiences in executive leadership.”

Rundell was nominated for the fellowship by Michael M.I. Abecassis, MD, MBA, the Inaugural Humberto and Czarina Lopez Endowed Dean and a professor at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson. Abecassis is also a member of the BIO5 Institute. Rundell also received letters of recommendation from two peers at the college: Julie Pilitsis, MD, PhD, MBA, a professor and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and a member of the BIO5 Institute, and Celia Valenzuela, MD, dean of community engagement and an associate clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

“Given her track record and past achievements, I predict that Dr. Rundell will become a nationally recognized leader in innovation and actionable models to drive outstanding clinical care for diverse communities,” Abecassis wrote in his nomination letter. “Her past success in driving the Primary Care Accelerated Medical School Pathway program to solve the primary care physician shortage is one example of her ability to define a critical need, create an action plan, engage the necessary partners and deliver a result.”

In addition to her leadership role in Family and Community Medicine, Rundell developed the recently approved three-year medical degree program at the College of Medicine – Tucson. The program, known as 3 year MD: Primary Care Accelerated Medical School Pathway, focuses on competency-based education and provides a pathway to family medicine residency to reduce the state’s significant shortage of primary care physicians. Both U of A colleges of medicine received approval for three-year programs from the Arizona Board of Regents in June. 

“Dr. Rundell is an exceptional colleague and chair,” said Pilitsis. “As an alumna of the ELAM program, I am thrilled that she will have the opportunity to participate in the ELAM community, which has a proven track record of helping academic medical leaders achieve their career goals.”

The ELAM program began in 1995 and has more than 1,600 alumni serving in leadership roles throughout the United States and Canada, according to Drexel University’s website. During the ELAM program year, fellows attend three onsite sessions of approximately one week each in Philadelphia. Fellows also complete several assignments and an institutional leadership project that provides an opportunity to test their new skills. 

“We have a unique model in that Banner Health and the University of Arizona have partnered together in this health care system model, and ELAM now offers more training around financial operations and strategic planning to support it,” said Rundell. “The opportunity to learn more about these specific leadership skills will be helpful for me as a department chair in this matrix organization. At the end of the day, my goal is to support and advocate for the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and I hope that this opportunity will increase my effectiveness.”