Can Leaders Have a Bad Day? Reframing Perfectionism in Medical Education (IDEAS) - 6/17/2025

Includes a Live Web Event on 06/17/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

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This presentation explores the impact of perfectionism and shame in medical education. It examines personal and cultural tendencies towards perfectionism, the effects of leader perfectionism on both leaders and followers, and the impact of shame as a teaching tool. The presentation also discusses the negative consequences of perfectionism, such as burnout, anxiety, and imposter syndrome, and offers strategies to reduce these impacts. Participants will walk away with both a better understanding and practical tools of how to help others navigate perfectionism and shame in medical education.

After participating in this webinar, attendees should be able to

  1. Examine personal and cultural tendencies for perfectionism
  2. Consider alternatives to perfectionism such as self-compassion
  3. Describe the impact of leader perfectionism on leaders and followers (including shame
  4. Commit to strategies to decrease perfectionism and shame in medical education

About IDEAS

The AAMC IDEAS Learning Series provides actionable information that you can put into practice to foster respect and belonging, respond to discrimination, and maximize individual potential within the academic medicine community.

Jessica L. Bunin, MD, MHPE (she/her/hers)

COL(ret), United States Army Medical Corps 
Associate Dean for Community and Educational Culture 
Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences 

COL(ret) Jessica Bunin is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. She attended Tulane University School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After residency, she served as a Psychiatrist prior to completing a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine. She has been involved in Academic Medicine as an Associate Program Director for an Internal Medicine Residency, a Program Director for a Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, an Assistant Dean of Faculty Development at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), and an Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She has deployed to Iraq as a Psychiatrist and Afghanistan as an Intensivist. She is now a Professor of Medicine and Health Professions Education, Associate Dean of Community and Educational Culture at USUHS and Certified Executive Coach. She is a graduate of the American Association of Medical College’s Healthcare Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program. Her research interests are within the leadership realm in topics such as empathy, followership, mentorship, and faculty development. 

Hava Haischer-Rollo, MD (she/her/hers)

Lt Col, USAF, MC
Assistant Dean for Faculty Development
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Hava Haischer-Rollo, MD, is the Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Haischer-Rollo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Texas, and her medical degree from University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.  She completed her Pediatric Residency and Neonatal Fellowship at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in San Antonio Texas.

During career she found a passion for medical education and using improv and art to help teach student’s medicine. As Assistant Dean for Faculty Development she travels around the military health system and teaches faculty development as well as teaching several classes aimed at improving health equity and communication. She is married with 3 children (Ari- 10th grade at JDS, Caleb- 6th grade at JDS and Zara- 2nd grade), 2 dogs and a wonderful stay at home husband who keeps it all together.  

Components visible upon registration.