The Physicians Foundation and Brandeis University are seeking 25 physicians from across the country to join a one-year, hybrid training program, starting September 2025, designed to develop and sharpen the leadership skills necessary to influence state and federal health care policy.
The new initiative, the Physicians Foundation’s Leadership Institute at Brandeis University, will utilize both in-person and online learning formats to train physicians on how to address pressing topics in medicine – like nonmedical drivers of health, physician wellbeing, and population health – through advocacy and policy.
Participation in the program includes full coverage for tuition, travel, and CME credits, totaling an estimated value of up to $40,000. The program will fill just 25 spots from a national pool of applicants. Applications close Dec. 31, 2024.
Joseph Valenti, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association’s board of trustees and vice president of the Physicians Foundation, said the program was designed to create “policy leaders that can help further define the future of health care in this country.”
“Physicians have a unique clinical perspective that, when combined with advocacy, can create meaningful change,” the Denton gynecologist said. “The new program’s curriculum [will] prepare physicians to be leaders in the field and in policy work. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
The 12-month program, which will utilize training from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, will run from September 2025 to September 2026. Training will include:
- Two in-person, five-day residencies at Brandeis University;
- Virtual monthly instructional sessions on Saturdays from 9 to 5 pm between November 2025 and March 2026, and again between April 2026 and August 2026; and
- Virtual monthly peer coaching checkpoints.
All physicians with medical licenses in good standing, regardless of specialty, are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be able to commit to a year of study with full participation in all in-person meetings at Brandeis University and demonstrate a passion for driving change in the health care industry.
“Physicians have discovered that if they aren’t involved in policy development, negative consequences can arise for them and their patients,” said TMA CEO and Chair of the Physicians Foundation’s Leadership Committee, Michael Darrouzet. “We want this training to teach [physicians] how to shape policy decisions.”
For more information about the program, visit the Foundation’s website. To apply, see the Foundation’s online application form.
Alisa Pierce
Reporter, Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1469