Leape Ahead Award Nomination

Award Background

Leape Award

Established in 2011, the Leape Ahead Award recognizes institutions and their leaders dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare by developing medical students and residents into future healthcare leaders.

The Leape Award honors the extraordinary dedication and commitment of Lucian Leape, MD, a former pediatric surgeon. His emphasis on establishing a respectful, professional training environment for med students and residents was an important step in the pursuit of patient safety and reinforcing the well-recognized concept of "first do no harm."

Leape Ahead Award Previous Winners

  • Cahaba + UAB Family Medicine Residency Program; Birmingham, AL (2024)

  • Virginia Mason Medical Center; Seattle, WA (2024)

  • Helen DeVos Children's Hospital; Grand Rapids, Michigan

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital; Boston, Massachusetts

  • Christiana Care Health System; Delaware

  • Northwestern Medicine Academy for Quality and Safety Improvement; Illinois

  • Advocate Health Care's Resident Leadership Development Institute; Park Ridge, Illinois

  • MUSC Health at the Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina

  • New York City Health & Hospitals/Lincoln; New York

  • Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY

Selection Criteria and Nomination Requirement

  • Applicants may include any combination of faculty, students, residents, or staff at a medical school or teaching hospital.

  • One individual from the institution must be an MD or DO, or international equivalent.

  • One individual from the institution must be a member of the Association.

  • The institution's project exhibits dedication and commitment toward advancing medical students and/or residents into future healthcare leaders.

  • The institution's project/program demonstrates efficient, effective and caring delivery of medicine.

  • Individuals from the institution may not be current board members of the Association.



Application Currently Closed

Award recipients will be celebrated at the AAPL Annual Leadership Conference on Friday, October 23, 2026, in Scottsdale, AZ. A project team member must be present at the meeting to receive the award. Notifications for award winners will be sent in Spring 2026.

The winner will be featured in the Physician Leadership Journal and the member e-newsletter. The project will also be featured on the Association's website as a resource for members.

Questions regarding the application should be directed to customerservice@physicianleaders.org. 

Leape Award Application

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