New Chairs Program

Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The Scottsdale Resort & Spa

APM's 2026 New Chairs and Emerging Leaders Program offers a full-day program for new chairs and emerging leaders of departments of internal medicine. While designed for chairs who have served fewer than three years in the role, faculty at all levels are welcome to participate. The 2026 program will offer sessions on leading a department of internal medicine; developing successful partnerships with key leaders—including the dean, other department chairs, the chief administrative officer, and the faculty leadership team—and other challenges of being a chair.

Schedule at a Glance

As of November 4, 2025
Subject to change

 

7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Breakfast

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introductions

Kathleen Cooney, MD, MACP
APM President
Duke University School of Medicine

Lynn Schnapp, MD
APM Program Planning Committee Vice Chair
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Perspectives of a Dean

Lynn Schnapp, MD, Moderator
APM Program Planning Committee Vice Chair
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health 

Sandra Wong, MD
Dean
Emory University School of Medicine

10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Break

10:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.

Working with Your Leadership Team  
Collaborating with Associate Chairs, Division Chiefs, and Vice Chairs

Leonard Egede, MD
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences 
at the University at Buffalo

Susan Gurley, MD, PhD
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

Rama Mallampalli, MD
Ohio State University College of Medicine

12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Lunch 

1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Successful Partnership between Chair and Department Administrator 

Sheri Lawrence
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Amy Putnam
Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine 
at the University of Vermont

2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Putting It All Together: Challenges for Chairs 

  1. Interim Chair
    Michelle Gong, MD, MS
    Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  2. New Chair (3 years or less)
    What I Learned in the First 100 Days
    Upinder Singh, MD
    University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
  3. Experienced Chair (3+ years)
    Insights into Surviving, Thriving, and Sustaining Long Term Success
    Michael Parmacek, MD
    Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine 
    at the University of Pennsylvania 

4:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wrap Up 

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

APM Winter Meeting Welcome Reception