About

American Association for Physician Leadership

Empowering physician leaders for more than 40 years

About Us

 Who Are We?

We’re the American Association for Physician Leadership®, and we provide physicians the knowledge and skills required to become better leaders. In fact, we’re the only professional organization in the world that solely focuses on providing leadership education, management training and career development designed for the physician workforce (and the organizations they represent). From our beginning, we’ve been committed to educating, training and supporting physicians of all types, encouraging them to assume leadership and management opportunities within the global health care industry. We train thousands of physicians every year, and have approximately 10,000 active members (across 40 countries) at any given time – including CEOs, chief medical officers, vice presidents of medical affairs and others at all levels of organizations.

 

Why Do We Exist?

Our No. 1 goal is to maximize the potential of physician leadership. When physicians exhibit consistent leadership skills, they’re able to transform their teams and organizations. That transformation benefits patient outcomes and improves health care all over the world. This principle is the foundation of our Vision, Mission and Values.

Vision

The Association is the world's premier organization for all aspects of physician leadership in every sector of health care.

Mission

To expand the impact of physician leadership that embraces and promotes inter-professionalism, ultimately improving health care globally by independently and collaboratively innovating and delivering exceptional offerings.
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Why Physician Leadership? 

At some level, all physicians are leaders. They’re often revered by patients, venerated by non-clinical colleagues and highly respected by members of patient care teams – even when they’re not in formal leadership roles. This unique position, as natural and inherent leaders, makes physicians ideal candidates to create meaningful, lasting change in the health care industry, provided they have the right skills. With augmented leadership knowledge, skills and experience, health care delivery simply works better.

 

What Have We Accomplished?

Over nearly 45 years, we’ve helped educate 250,000-plus physicians in some fashion. (In 2017 alone, we educated almost 20,000). Over 3,200 physicians have earned our Certified Physician Executive credential. Nearly 2,000 have graduated from our partners’ Master’s degree programs. We deliver nearly 300 on-site leadership courses every year.

 

Media Relations & Inquiries

For more information, please contact: media@physicianleaders.org

 

 

Our Story
1975
Roger Schenke 1975

Founders

The American Academy of Medical Directors (AAMD) is founded by Roger Schenke, MBA.

1986
1986

Debut

The Physician Executive Journal debuts.

1989
1989

ACPE

AAMD becomes American College of Physician Executives (ACPE).

1998
1998

ACPE

Carnegie Mellon developed its Master of Medical Management program with ACPE in 1998.

2001
2001

ACPE

ACPE and the University of Southern California offer a master’s in medical management (MMM).

2002
2002

ACPE

ACPE and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst offer a master’s in business administration (MBA).

2008
Barry Silbaugh 2008

Barry Silbaugh

Barry Silbaugh, MD, MS, FACPE, named CEO of ACPE.

2011
Board Meeting 2011

Master's of Science

ACPE and Thomas Jefferson University offer a Master’s of Science in Health Care Quality and Safety Management (MS-HQSM).

Peter Angood 2011

Peter Angood

Peter Angood, MD, FRCS(C), FACS, MCCM, FAAPL (Hon.) named president and CEO of ACPE.

2014
American Association for Physician Leadership Logo 2014

American Association for Physician Leadership

The American College of Physician Executives becomes American Association for Physician Leadership.
Hospital

250,000

People educated by our expert faculty across dozens of disciplines

20,000+

Physician leaders who participated in our education in 2019

3,000+

Certified Physician Executives credentials earned since 1997

1,200+

Number of assets and articles in our Physician Leadership Library

Corporate Partners & Sponsors

Organizations, companies and affiliations that sponsor and support the directives, education and members of our organization.
For more information about our partners, click here.
MaxWorth
Sound Physicians
Nuance
Perfectserve
Simpler Consulting
KaufmanHall
HCA
Meditech
Physician Leader

Physician Leaders Defined

When a physician extends his or her influence and reach beyond clinical acumen to anticipating changes in the industry, setting the vision and tone for an organization, leading the charge in setting and achieving objectives, mentoring and motivating others, improving outcomes and contributing to the advancement of his or her organization and health care in general, that physician has become a physician leader.