GFA Professional Development Webinar: Innovative Programs for Mid-Career Faculty in Academic Medicine - October 2

This webinar will feature three panelists who will share their innovative programs designed to support mid-career faculty in academic medicine. In this webinar, we will highlight best practices, successful initiatives, and the impact of these programs on professional development, work-life balance, and career advancement. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how institutions can foster a supportive environment for mid-career faculty, ultimately enhancing faculty satisfaction and retention.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn the essential elements that make up successful support programs for mid-career faculty in academic medicine, including mentoring, leadership training, and professional development opportunities.
• Participants will be able to assess the effectiveness of various support initiatives by understanding how these programs contribute to faculty retention and career advancement.
• Participants will gain practical strategies for designing and implementing similar support programs within their institutions, tailored to the unique needs of their mid-career faculty, to foster a more supportive and enriching academic environment.

Maureen Gannon, PhD
Associate Dean, Faculty Development

Dr. Gannon received her B.S. in Biology from Molloy College and her M.S. in Biology from Adelphi University, both on Long Island. She received her Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Anatomy from Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Gannon did her post-doctoral work on pancreas development in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and was recruited to the faculty in the Department of Medicine in 2001. The research in the Gannon laboratory focuses on the development, proliferation, survival, and regeneration of pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells. Dr. Gannon has been funded by the NIH, VA, ADA, and JDRF. She has trained 15 PhD thesis students and several postdoctoral fellows in her lab.

Dr. Gannon is currently Professor of Medicine in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolism. From 2011-2019. she was the inaugural Vice Chair for Faculty Development in the Department of Medicine. In September 2019 she was appointed the inaugural Associate Dean for Faculty Development for the School of Medicine clinical departments. She leads career development and leadership training programs for School of Medicine faculty and regularly facilitates discussions on conflict management, effective mentoring, and the Imposter Syndrome. Dr. Gannon received the Vanderbilt University Thomas A. Hazinski award for effectiveness in mentoring and professional development for faculty in 2019. In June 2022 Dr. Gannon was awarded the Lois Jovanovic Transformative Woman in Diabetes award by the American Diabetes Association. In 2023 Dr. Gannon was awarded the Paul Lacy Medal, the highest honor given by the Midwest Islet Club in recognition of meritorious career achievement in the field of islet biology research.

Dr. Gannon is married with a son who is a senior in college. In addition to enjoying annual family vacations, Maureen is devoted to several hobbies including, amateur paleontologist, camping, playing guitar, singing, painting, and Irish step dancing.

Cary Ward, MD
Associate Dean, Faculty Development

Dr. Ward serves as the faculty lead for current and future School of Medicine (SoM) faculty development programs including Leadership Development for Researchers (LEADER); Academic Leadership, Innovation, and Collaborative Engagement (ALICE); and the Duke Clinical Leadership Program (DCLP).

Ward is an adult congenital and structural heart disease specialist, and serves as the program director for the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship and the director of the Cardio-Obstetrics Program. She received her MD from the University of Virginia, completed internal medicine residency at the University of Texas at Southwestern in Dallas, and was a cardiology fellow at Duke before joining the faculty in 2007.

For the past 8 years, she has led professional development activities for the Department of Medicine (DoM), first as director of credentialing and more recently as the associate vice chair for provider experience and development. She is the director of the ALICE leadership development program for mid-career women faculty and has served as the Director of the Duke Clinical Leadership Program since 2018. Ward is a 2022 recipient of the Leonard Palumbo Jr., MD Faculty Achievement Award, recognizing faculty who display dedication to compassionate patient care and excellence in the teaching and mentoring of young physicians.

Laura Denton, MS
Director, Faculty Development

Laura Denton is the Director of Faculty Development at the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS). In this role she oversees faculty development programming and operations for more than 3000 faculty spanning 29 departments.  She has worked in this office for the past twelve years.  Prior to coming to UMMS, Laura was the Assistant Director of Education and Communications in the Duke Office of Clinical Research and developed clinical trial protocols in the Cancer Center Clinical Research Office at the Mayo Clinic.  Laura holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Dynamics from the University of Michigan-Flint School of Management.