Each one of you plays an integral part in achieving our vision to be the region’s most valued health care asset. You are focused on serving our patients and providing the best care possible. As we all know, this past year was challenging, and your selflessness and dedication were more apparent than ever.

Sometimes keeping up with our daily schedules is all we can focus on, but we must also remember to set long-term goals and develop new skills, so we can continue to evolve as professionals. To help you achieve this, we relaunched our LEAP and STEP leadership development programs, which are open to everyone in our enterprise, including UF Health Jacksonville, UF Jacksonville Physicians Inc., UF Health Proton Therapy Institute and UF Health Science Center Jacksonville. We also offer monthly training and development opportunities through the Bridge and HealthStream.

• Our Leadership, Excellence, Action and Partnership program, or LEAP, is designed to develop our next generation of executive-level leaders in the Jacksonville area and is a succession-planning tool for senior management across our clinical and operational entities. Three or more years of leadership experience is required to join, and you must be nominated by your immediate supervisor or senior leader to be considered for the program. This year’s 25 LEAP participants are currently in the immersive program, which involves attending daylong leadership sessions monthly for the next eight months. You can look forward to seeing the work produced by these growing leaders, including improvement projects, operational audits and many other projects.
• We also developed a leadership program for new and emerging leaders who have been identified for initial leadership advancement called Supporting Tomorrow’s Emerging Performers, or STEP. The STEP leadership development program is an eight-month immersive training program similar to LEAP, but it focuses on fundamental leadership skills. There is currently a cohort of 26 participants in the 2021 program who will attend leadership-focused classes, group activities and one-on-one mentorship sessions.
• Monthly training and development opportunities are always available for all staff and faculty. I encourage you to visit the Bridge, watch for monthly emails and browse HealthStream to find opportunities that are right for you.

Although the LEAP and STEP program applications are closed for 2021, it’s never too late to begin preparing for the 2022 application period. If you’re interested in pursuing leadership roles at UF Health, start small and invest time in the training opportunities available to you.

On top of these training and leadership programs, those interested in investing more time in the community should consider joining the “Tipping the Scale” mentoring program in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida. As leaders in your field, your knowledge, expertise and dedication are invaluable resources to youth in our community. If you sign up to be a mentor, you’ll be matched with local teens and meet twice a month.

If you ever have questions about how to take steps toward growth and leadership at UF Health, please reach out to your manager for guidance. We care about your progress as individuals and recognize that all of these pieces come together to further strengthen our enterprise and help us achieve our mission to heal, to comfort, to educate and to discover.

Sincerely,

Leon L. Haley Jr., MD, MHSA

CEO, UF Health Jacksonville

Dean, UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville