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Executive Leadership in Health Care How to Apply

The application period for the class of 2025-26 opens on September 1, 2024.

The nomination process for ELAM and ELH allows your institution to nominate up to two people who identify as women from each of its schools (medical, dental, public health and pharmacy) and two people who identify as women from each of its hospitals and medical centers.

Download the 2025-2026 application brochure



Information for Applicants

Application requirements:

  • Applicants must be nominated by the executive leader of their institution or health center. We strongly suggest that each applicant discuss her application with her nominator before applying.
  • Applicants must have TWO (2) recommendations. One must come from a direct supervisor, and the other from a senior colleague (preferably from outside her home department). A nominator cannot also be a recommender. If the applicant's direct supervisor is her nominating executive leader, then the applicant's recommendations must come from two other individuals, one of whom, preferably, is senior to the applicant.
  • Nominations and recommendations are constructed as short essays to describe the candidate's qualifications and institutional support for the candidate’s leadership development and engagement in organizational innovation.
  • All applications must be submitted online by October 31, 2024. ELAM will send electronic notification when the application is complete.
  • Nominations and recommendations must be received by November 18, 2024.

A strong candidate application presents evidence for leadership potential. This includes:

  • Description of leadership experiences that have included strategic risk-taking.
  • A track record of formal and informal professional development, including mentoring and program participation outside her specialty field.
  • Rationale for seeking leadership roles and a realistic assessment of likely internal and external leadership opportunities over the five years following the fellowship program.

Please take time to read through our ELAM/ELH online application user guide [PDF] and preview the application questions [PDF] before entering the online application system. Back to Top


2024-2025 Program Schedule

Jun 1-Sep 12, 2024

Complete self-assessments, assigned readings and online assignments

Expected 2024 synchronous online presentations (all start at 8 p.m. ET):

  • 6/4
  • 6/6
  • 6/11
  • 6/13
  • 6/18
  • 6/20
  • 8/6
  • 8/8
  • 8/13
  • 8/16
  • 8/20
  • 8/22

Sep 14-19, 2024

Attend Session I: Philadelphia

Sep 20, 2024-Jan 24, 2025

Work on group and independent projects

Jan 25-30, 2025

Attend Session 2: Philadelphia

Jan 31-Apr 25, 2025

Work on group and independent projects

Apr 26-May 1, 2025

Attend Session 3: Philadelphia
April 30 and May 1 with deans, institutional sponsors and guests.
Leaders Forum on April 30. Graduation on May 1.

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2025-2026 In-person Program Dates

September 13-18, 2025: Session 1
January 24-29, 2026: Session 2
April 25-30, 2026: Session 3

Please also hold Tuesdays and Thursday evenings after 8 p.m. ET in June and August for synchronous online presentations.

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Information for Nominators

Nomination requirements:

  • Nominations can be made only by the senior executive leader of the candidate's academic health center.
  • A nominating institution must commit to:
    • Provide the necessary time for the candidate to fully participate in the ELH at ELAM program and to complete her assignments.
    • Financial support for the program fees and travel expenses.
    • Salary continuation during the ELH at ELAM fellowship period.
    • Assistance with assignments, especially leadership interviews and financial trends analyses.
  • Nominations must be submitted online by November 18, 2024.

Both the qualities of the candidate and the commitment of her institution are considered during the selection process.

A strong nomination includes:

  • Evidence of a clear commitment to developing the candidate for formal or informal advancement and leadership roles within the five years following ELH at ELAM.
  • A professional development plan for the fellow that includes mentoring by the nominating senior executive and other appropriate leaders, and opportunities to help the fellow develop a broader institutional view of leadership roles and strategies. Please see mentoring best practices [PDF] for more information.

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Information for Recommenders

Recommendation requirements:

  • Applicants must have TWO (2) recommendations. One must come from a direct supervisor, and the other from a senior colleague (preferably from outside her home department). A nominator cannot also be a recommender. If the applicant's direct supervisor is her nominator, then the applicant's recommendations must come from two other individuals, one of whom, preferably, is senior to the applicant.
  • Recommendations must be submitted online by November 18, 2024.

A strong recommendation describes in detail the leadership potential of the candidate.

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ELAM is a core program of the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership at Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa. The Institute continues the legacy of advancing women in medicine that began in 1850 with the founding of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, the nation's first women's medical school and a predecessor of today's Drexel University College of Medicine.