Leadership Education for Aspiring
Physicians (LEAP)

Leadership Education for Aspiring Physicians (LEAP) is a project-based seminar series designed for pre-health and other college students seeking structured leadership development aimed to improve community health and wellness.  Participants who have successfully completed the program partnered with peers and community-based institutions or organizations to develop, implement, and evaluate projects aimed at improving health outcomes in a community where they are a member.

This program challenges participants to make a positive impact in their communities as pre-professionals, providing the skills to lead now and in the future.

This year’s program will have three major components:

Asynchronous, self-guided learning modules via Canvas modules

Monthly, synchronous (Zoom) instruction, program engagement as a cohort and in small groups

Periodic in-person meetings throughout the academic year focused on community-building, service opportunities, and social engagement.

The program is offered between October and June, concluding with a capstone project that emphasizes health leadership and activism in the domains of service, advocacy, and/or research.

• College, especially pre-health students who:

• have an interest or commitment to health equity
• may be in or considering leadership roles on their college campuses or in their communities
• seek opportunities to enact change with other pre-health professionals who share similar interests
• have an interest in community/population health and health disparities
• aim to build their co-curricular experiences as a preparatory experience prior to graduate and professional school application
• have an interest in social and structural determinants of health

Mandatory meetings will be offered during the 2023-2024 academic year with an optional in-person closing session.

Selectees must commit two Sundays per month between October and June, from 9 am - 1 pm.

Participants will learn through both self-paced. educational content, seminar-style sessions, and small group sessions through health disparities journal club.  

They will receive advising and project planning/project management support to successfully develop, implement, and evaluate their independently created or identified community-directed projects.

Participants should be able to commit 2 hours each week, on average, throughout the program to complete assignments and work on their projects. Attendance is mandatory with very few exceptions. Interested applicants should attend an online information session to determine if their schedules and other commitments will allow for this intensive program. 

• Pre- professional development and practical skills that you will use throughout your academic and professional career
• Training from an institutional leader in medical student and physician leadership development
• Advisement regarding medical school preparation and the application process
• A certification of participation upon successful completion of the program

Pre-reading assignments, participation in skill-building exercises, engage with the cohort and program facilitators to amplify your learning. Review health disparities case studies, prepare and submit assignments by stated deadlines, participate in assessments and organize a capstone presentation that summarizes the skills developed during the seminars over program.

Sample Sessions

• Social determinants of health
  
• Conducting a Community scan
  
• Local health equity initiatives
  
• Activism and advocacy as writers and pre-professionals
  
• Enacting change by engaging appointed and elected officials
• Ethics and professionalism

• September 6, 11:59pm– Application opens
• September 26 - Information session (online session, Register in advance for this webinar)
• October 1 - Application closes
• Sunday, October 8 - Program acceptance notifications
• Saturday, October 14 – Program orientation

Tentative LEAP Session Dates

Following are the tentative dates for LEAP sessions. When you apply you may list any conflicts you anticipate with these session dates IN DETAIL. Special circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis:

• September 26, 7pm - information session (not required, STRONGLY recommended)
• October 14, 28
• November 11, 18
• December 2
• January 6, 20
• February 17
• March 2
• March 16
• April 6
• May 11
• June 1- Closing Ceremony and Community Engagement Symposium

Certificates are presented at the end of the program. Certificates designate program participants and program completers. A participant has attended all sessions, submitted all assignments, but did NOT develop, implement, an evaluate a project. Completers have satisfied all the requirements of a program participant and have completed a project as a requirement of the program.

You must attend all sessions and complete all assignments including the capstone project to receive a completion certificate.

CLICK HERE between September 6 and October 4, 2023, to apply. 

Join the Stanford Premedical Leadership Education and Engagement Network (SPLEEN) on Linkedin and continue the discussion!