Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine^® Fast Facts

The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) program was established in 1995 as a prestigious national leadership fellowship for women that aimed to increase and sustain the number and impact of women in leadership positions in the health sciences. In its 30th year in 2025, the program has more than 1,600 alumni (ELUMs) in high-level leadership positions (provosts, deans, chief officers, chairs, etc.) at 300 health institutions around the country.

A Legacy of Leadership

ELAM carries on the legacy of advancing women in medicine begun by the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first women’s medical school. ELAM continues as a national resource hosted by Drexel University College of Medicine. Since its inception, the one-year, part-time fellowship has expanded to target diverse health professions and to reach a broader, global stage. To leverage the success of ELAM for the benefit of everyone, the program began accepting all qualified individuals in the spring of 2025, regardless of gender.

A Timeline of Expanding Influence

1995 – Fellows from medical schools
1996 – Fellows from dental schools
2003 – Fellows from pharmacy schools
2006 – Fellows from public health schools
2012 – Fellows from international medical schools
2022 – Executive Leadership in Health Care (ELH)
2025 – Allyship at ELAM

More than 1,600 fellows have been sponsored by 90% of accredited U.S. medical schools and 60% of accredited U.S. dental schools. In addition, 53 public health and 3 pharmacy fellows have completed the program.

31 fellows have come from schools outside of the United States. 90 schools have had 5 or more fellows, and of those, 58 have had 10 or more fellows.

Recognized for Excellence

1999 American Council on Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education Network Leadership Award

2004 American Dental Association’s Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Education Fund Award

2010 Association of American Medical Colleges’ Women in Medicine Leadership Development Award

2015 American Dental Education Association Gies Award for Outstanding Vision, Public or Private

Transforming Health Care

Alumni of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program hold executive leadership positions at more than 300 academic health organizations. These include:

93 Chief Executive / Academic Officers (Presidents/Chief Executive Officers, Executive Directors, Provosts and Chancellors)
20 Assistant /Associate / Vice / Senior Associate Provosts
66 Vice Presidents

Deans of Accredited Schools

30 at medical schools
5 at dental schools
13 at public health or population health schools

282 Center Directors

200 at medical schools
12 at dental schools
6 at public health schools
64 at other institutions

246 Associate / Senior Associate / Vice Deans

202 at medical schools
24 at dental schools
11 at public health schools
9 at other institutions

301 Department Chairs

234 at medical schools
22 at dental schools
13 at public health schools
32 at other institutions

Leading Organizational Change

Institutional Action Projects started during the fellowship address needs and priorities of home institutions and promote organizational change. These initiatives apply learned strategies in program and relationship building to a broad range of challenges resulting in:

New medical, public health and dental curricula
Comprehensive faculty mentoring and career development programs
Translational centers for biomedical research, clinical innovation and community engagement
New policies for faculty recruitment, retention and compensation
Global health research and outreach strategies
Clinical quality improvement programs’ design and implementation