SAN ANTONIO (May 18, 2011) — Paula K. Shireman, M.D., professor of vascular surgery and associate dean for research in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, has been selected as a fellow in a national leadership program.
Dr. Shireman is one of 54 women faculty members chosen to participate in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program for Women at Drexel University College of Medicine.
“While more and more women are entering medical school, there are relatively few women in leadership positions in academic medical centers,” Dr. Shireman said.
To be accepted into the program, each fellow must be nominated by the dean or another senior official of her institution. As part of their year-long fellowship, the women must identify and work on a project that will address an institutional need.
“The projects the fellows conduct not only help them understand the challenges facing academic health centers and the skills a leader must possess to address these challenges, but also often result in concrete changes at their institutions,” said Diane Magrane, M.D., director of Drexel’s International Center for Executive Leadership in Academics.
Dr. Shireman said she will be interviewing Health Science Center leaders to identify a project. While she already works with some of those leaders, she said, she does not often have the opportunity to speak with them one on one.
She will also be able to get acquainted with the other fellows.
“This will also be an opportunity to meet and learn from other female academic leaders in medicine,” she added.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, one of the country’s leading health sciences universities, ranks in the top 3 percent of all institutions worldwide receiving federal funding. Research and other sponsored program activity totaled $228 million in fiscal year 2010. The university’s schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have produced approximately 26,000 graduates. The $744 million operating budget supports eight campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. For more information on the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit www.uthscsa.edu.