Wyoming Medical Society Scholarship Fund

Wyoming Leaders in Medicine – Physician Leadership Academy

The Wyoming Medical Society (WMS) was established in 1903 to provide advocacy and support to the state’s physicians and currently claims the majority of the state’s physicians as members. WMS also offers administrative support for five specialty societies within the state, 16 county societies and the Wyoming Association of Physician Assistants. Currently, The Wyoming Medical Society has around 1000 physician members and 65 Physician Assistant members. WMS will provide the executive leadership for this physician leadership program.

Two of the greatest challenges facing today’s physician leaders are balancing the demands of their work with their own physical and mental well-being. The lack of opportunities to foster meaningful relationships with colleagues presents even greater barriers to our medical community leaders accomplishing this much needed balance. Wyoming physicians who are suffering from burnout have little or no training for how to identify the warning signs or address the issue. This combination of personal improvement, along with a better understanding of the state as a whole, will result in a generation of Wyoming physicians who strive to be leaders in their community, their profession, and their state. WLM physicians will become aware of new resources to support their efforts while becoming resources themselves for other healthcare professionals in the state. Relationship-building and interpersonal work will create a stronger class of physicians, which will drive healthcare excellence in their local practice, regional healthcare system, and at both state and national levels.

WMNS remains focused on building leadership in the ranks of Wyoming physicians and PAs through the development and continuance of the Wyoming Leaders in Medicine (WLM) Physician Leadership Academy program. The program will be facilitated over the course of 7 monthly sessions and will be aimed at developing leadership skills, preventing burnout, and encouraging/fostering statewide relationships amongst the class members and community leaders in each of the session locations. Each session will kick off with book club Thursday evening and run through Friday and Saturday. Each weekend will include a minimum of 8 hours of leadership curriculum facilitated by Future SYNC International, Inc. (FSI). The partnership with FSI will continue in order to offer Wyoming physicians individual coaching in leadership and workplace effectiveness, as they learn more about Wyoming’s healthcare, entrepreneurship, socioeconomic, and policy environments. Professional collaboration and advocacy are essential to supporting patients while heeding the needs of physicians. By helping physicians embrace management and executive positions, affording different perspectives into Wyoming’s healthcare issues with unique and detailed insight, the WLM program provides them with the means to spearhead the development of effective solutions.