The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / What Makes an Effective Department Head?

What Makes an Effective Department Head?

December 8, 2017 • By Karen Appold

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

If you’re aspiring to become the head of a rheumatology department, you’ll most likely need an excellent reputation as a rheumatologist, as well as a significant portfolio in basic or clinical research or educational scholarship. Education and training at a highly regarded academic medical center in rheumatology and experience working for a few years within such a division are also advantageous.

You Might Also Like
  • Stony Brook University’s Rheumatology Department History, Leadership in the Spotlight
  • University of Nebraska Division of Rheumatology and Immunology Makes Education, Clinical Research Top Priorities
  • Educating Medical Students on Rheumatology Early May Help Recruitment
Also By This Author
  • Choose the Right EHR the 1st Time

Typically, division chiefs hold MD or DO degrees, but scientists with PhD degrees can also be competitive candidates. Chaim Putterman, MD, chief, Division of Rheumatology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, N.Y., also earned an MBA to better understand and implement the financial, business language and tools that have become increasingly important to running an academic division.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Being in charge also requires managerial skills that typically aren’t taught in medical school, residency or fellowship. “An effective leader has experience on many academic committees, both as a participant and as a leader,” says Bernard R. Rubin, DO, MPH, division head, Rheumatology, Henry Ford Health System, and clinical professor of medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

Dr. Rubin also found that volunteering as a board member for a private school and serving on ACR committees provided valuable managerial experience. “These activities have helped me tackle human resource issues,” he says.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Being able to mold and encourage younger faculty is another component of the job. You’ll need to employ succession planning, so encouraging junior faculty to obtain leadership training and assisting them in these endeavors is vital. “You also need to be able to hire well and selectively [to] create a great team,” Dr. Rubin says.

The department chief must be able to think strategically and have a vision for the division going forward. “I make business decisions based on data and facts, avoiding intuition or gut feelings, so faculty will understand the reasons behind my decisions—reinforcing a sense that decisions aren’t arbitrary, but reasoned and well thought out,” Dr. Rubin says.

Advantages & Disadvantages
As someone in a position of authority, you’ll have the ability to effect change and have influence. “You’ll have closer interactions with senior leadership of your department and the medical center, and you’ll hear about new programs being considered that you can promote or discourage,” Dr. Putterman says. “This [interaction] is an important opportunity to highlight your specialty, and gives you an important voice in shaping institutional initiatives.”

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

On the downside, as you go up the career ladder the amount of time you have to spend on administrative duties and meetings increases. “Although all faculty have administrative responsibilities, these duties usually increase with rank and are especially pronounced in managerial and leadership positions,” Dr. Putterman says. “Meanwhile, you will have less time to see patients and, in some cases, you will no longer see patients—depending upon your preference or your department’s guidelines. Further, “you will have less time to devote to your own personal research program or other professional interests.”

As the department head, you’ll also be the go-to person to handle complaints and disputes. “You’ll have a tremendous degree of responsibility for the daily operations of the systems you lead,” Dr. Putterman says. “You’ll be accountable for other staff members and their actions, even if you aren’t personally involved with them.”

Dr. Rubin adds, “The division chief will sink or succeed based on the success of the faculty he or she has selected, motivated, inspired and encouraged.”

Challenges & Resolutions
Recruitment is currently a major challenge division heads face. To get more medical students and house staff interested in rheumatology, Dr. Putterman says you need to expose them to the field early on. The ACR offers institutions grants that support medical student and resident experiences in rheumatology. Also, department heads should meet with students who are interested in exploring the field of rheumatology, invest their time in medical students’ education and promote rheumatology-related opportunities at their institution.

Attending meetings of ACR division directors has provided Dr. Putterman with the opportunity to network and obtain ideas for recruitment strategies, as well as other topics he’d like input on from others, which he also does by using the ACR Division Directors’ online community. The Division Directors Special Committee is currently working to create a toolbox of best practices for division directors, including recommendations to improve recruitment.

Another challenge is championing the financial worth of a rheumatology division. “Because rheumatology is typically a relatively small specialty, it is much easier for a hospital to overlook allocating resources to that area,” Dr. Putterman says. “Therefore, we need to make sure the institution understands our contributions, such as taking care of the medical needs of patients with musculoskeletal disease before and after orthopedic surgical interventions, being experts in biologic therapies and immunomodulators, and being a significant generator of immunologic tests.”

Additionally, time management skills are crucial for division chiefs. Dr. Putterman suggests identifying individuals you can delegate responsibility to. “You need to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your faculty and administrative staff,” he says. “Allow them to have positions of responsibility and authority within your division. Empowering others strengthens the division, while also providing them valuable opportunities for professional advancement.”


Karen Appold is a medical writer in Pennsylvania.

Pages: 1 2 3 | Multi-Page

Filed Under: Career Development, Professional Topics Tagged With: Career Advancement, Career development, Management, Managers, rheumatology

You Might Also Like:
  • Stony Brook University’s Rheumatology Department History, Leadership in the Spotlight
  • University of Nebraska Division of Rheumatology and Immunology Makes Education, Clinical Research Top Priorities
  • Educating Medical Students on Rheumatology Early May Help Recruitment
  • The ACR Practice Management Department Offers Myriad Resources for Rheumatologists

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

Meeting Abstracts

Browse and search abstracts from the ACR Convergence and ACR/ARP Annual Meetings going back to 2012.

Visit the Abstracts site »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)