Clinician Leadership Development Program
The Vermont Medical Society is pleased to announce that we're offering a statewide clinician leadership development course from October 2026 to March 2027.
The course provides training in project management, finance, budgeting, healthcare systems, and communication skills to equip leaders to navigate organizational challenges, drive strategic decision-making, and enhance the delivery of high-quality patient care.
Apply here
| Start Date | Registration Deadline | Cost | Credential |
|---|---|---|---|
October 29, 2026 | August 28, 2026 | $2,725 (Does not include lodging). | CMEs and Certificate of Completion |
Location:
Topnotch Resort
4000 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT 05672
- Tuition does not include overnight rooms, but there is a group rate. (Room rate is $249 per night)
Course Schedule:
| Dates | Programming |
|---|---|
| Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026 | 10 am - 5 pm: Program launch, project management, wellness-centered leadership |
| Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 | 9 am - 4 pm: Emotional intelligence |
| Friday, Dec. 4, 2026 | 10 am - 5 pm: How to lead an effective meeting, quality improvement in health care, review of quality improvement projects |
| Thursday, Jan. 14, 2027 | 10 am - 5 pm: Building high-quality teams |
| Friday, Jan. 15, 2027 | 9 am - 4 pm: Health care economics and finance |
| Thursday, March 18, 2027 | 10 am - 4 pm: Advocacy and media training, advocacy panel |
| Friday, March 19, 2027 | 9 am - 4 pm: Project presentations |
Contact Stephanie Winters at swinters@vtmd.org for more information or to be added to an email list for updates regarding future course sessions. Selected candidates informed by September 4, 2026. Registration and tuition is due by October 2, 2026
FAQs
Who should participate?
Physicians and advanced practice professionals who have recently assumed or aspire to take on leadership roles are encouraged to participate. It is particularly aimed at individuals with 5 or more years of clinical experience but minimal formal leadership training. The course aims for a cohort of 24 physicians & APPs from across Vermont and neighboring states.
Do I get CME credits?
Yes, this course will be accredited for CME credits.
Is my room cost covered?
All session costs and expenses (food, CME, assessments) are included in the tuition, but room costs are not included. You can inquire if your organization allows use with CME/professional expense funds to cover the cost of the hotel room.
How to apply or learn more?
Clinicians should apply by completing the application linked here by August 28th. Applicants will be asked for a brief paragraph outlining their interest in the course, their ability to participate in scheduled course sessions, and a CV. Should more applications be received than available slots, applications will be reviewed by the steering committee members and selected based on factors including practice location and type, specialty, demonstrated interest, and availability to participate in the program. Applicants are encouraged to inquire with their practice or medical staff leadership about potential support, as some practices and hospitals may sponsor participation or allow the use of CME funds toward the cost.
How does this relate to past UVMH and VMS leadership courses?
From 2019-2025, the Vermont Medical Society offered a statewide Physician Executive Leadership Program (PELI) with the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Lumunos Wellbeing.
Meet our past PELI Cohorts:
The 2025-2026 leadership program cohort.
Course Description
Recognizing the broad skill set required to be a successful leader, this course will focus on the following topics:
- Team development and effective change management
- Project management
- Communication/interpersonal skills
- Professional development and wellness-based leadership
- Finance/budgeting
- Health systems and care delivery
Each topic’s goals and key competencies/skills are outlined in the following sections:
Team development and effective change management
Develop the skills and tools needed to cultivate a high-performing team, drive effective change management, and implement problem-solving strategies using a systems-based approach.
- Identify strategies for engaging the team in making effective change.
- Explore existing strengths and develop skills to improve the relational aspects of managing people and leading teams.
- Develop adaptive communication strategies for different audiences (i.e., executives, direct reports, peers, staff).
- Gain tools and strategies to plan and lead effective meetings.
Project Management
Develop the skills to design, implement, and evaluate a project aimed at improving an aspect of clinical practice, such as operational efficiency, quality of care, patient or staff experience, or workflow. By the end of the course, participants will present a project tailored to their clinical setting.
- Describe the core elements of effective project management and their relevance to health care operations.
- Identify a meaningful challenge or opportunity for improvement in the clinical setting and design a targeted project.
- Apply project planning and implementation strategies to address identified needs.
- Manage a project through its lifecycle, including planning, execution, and evaluation.
- Present project and outcomes to program faculty and fellow cohort members, including a summary of how the project was shared with stakeholders and peers within their clinical setting.
Communication/Interpersonal skills
Develop and refine skills to navigate challenging situations among colleagues and staff. Encourage and support a collaborative work environment.
- Assess your ability to effectively perceive and express yourself, develop and maintain relationships, and cope with challenges.
- Articulate/describe your leadership style and/or personality traits.
- Demonstrate how to best collaborate with and lead others with different styles.
- Review and practice strategies for difficult conversations with colleagues; model, encourage, and facilitate open communication and feedback between all members of the practice.
Professional development and wellness-based leadership
Recognize the impact of clinician leaders on individual and team well-being and burnout. Develop techniques to guide and support the well-being and professional development of physicians and advance practice professional (APP) colleagues.
- Understand how your own professional fulfillment relates to your effectiveness as a leader.
- Describe current models of wellness-centered leadership and professional fulfillment.
- Identify ways in which you and your organization can support the professional fulfillment and well-being of yourself and your colleagues.
Finance/Budgeting
Monitor, interpret, and communicate relevant financial data to key stakeholders.
- Develop a budgeting vocabulary, including work relative value unit, gross and net revenue, expenses, etc.
- Interpret the profit and loss statement of a clinical practice.
- Identify the types of funding associated with different practice types such as federally qualified health center (FQHC), private practice, rural health center, community hospital, and academic medical center.
- Learn how to frame desired practice change in the context of a facility budget.
Health Systems and Care Delivery
Develop an understanding of the healthcare landscape in Vermont, New York, and nationally, and explain the impacts on practicing clinicians, patients, and communities.
- Gain an understanding of Vermont’s health care regulatory environment, including the role of the Green Mountain Care Board, legislature, and the Agency of Human Services.
- Assess the role of payment reform efforts, such as population health models, global budgets, reference-based pricing, federal payment reform models and policy shifts in shaping future health care delivery.
- Recognize the challenges and opportunities that shifts in payment might bring to your practice setting, and to overall patient care/experience.
- Improve communication skills with patients, community members, advocacy groups, and policymakers.
- Identify opportunities for influence and involvement with advocacy groups and local, regional, and national policymakers.
Advocacy & Media Training
Develop the skills and tools needed to advocate for systems change within a practice, health care facility, community, or statewide.
- Articulate the need for physicians and APPs to advocate for systems change within our health care system.
- Understand different loci of policy change including working within a health care system, the legislature or administrative agencies.
- Identify the range of tools for engaging in advocacy depending on time, interest, and the issue being advocated for.
- Practice crafting and presenting key messages to different audiences.