Certificate Program History
In 2003, the executive committee of the Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA) of the Association of American Medical Colleges recognized a need for professional development for clerkship administrators. Educational administrative staff was absent from meetings and the leaders of the CGEA wanted to offer a program specifically for them. The CGEA Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program emerged from that decision and presented for the first time in 2004 in Omaha, Nebraska.
Drs. Fred McCurdy and Gary Beck Dallaghan created a program promoting leadership skills for clerkship administrators. The sessions focused on having a better understanding of one’s self, one’s department and one’s institution. Participants explored how their personal goals and values intersected with their work environment. Additionally, leadership was addressed, pointing out how we all lead in some capacity (with or without a title).
In order to successfully complete the program, participants had to complete a project over the course of the year to present at the next meeting. This project could be a quality improvement project or assist with an educational research project with the clerkship director.
In 2006, Ms. Ginny Cleppe from the Medical College of Wisconsin joined the team. At that time we incorporated a session related to the relational aspects of leadership. Gaining an understanding of emotional intelligence and practicing communication skills in various settings were part of this session.
In recent years the team has undertaken more rigorous evaluations of this program. This has resulted in peer-review publications that we have listed below:
- Pelser D, Chavez C, Allison L, Cleppe V, Beck Dallaghan GL. Professional Development for Clerkship Administrators: A 16-Year Overview of the Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program. Med Ed Online 2020; 25(1):1710327. DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2019.1710327.
- Ricker AD, Pelser D, Beck Dallaghan GL. Eight-Year Investigation of the Impact of the Clerkship Administrator Certificate Program. Cureus 2022; 14(4):e24024. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.24024.