Advancing the quality, equity and value of cardiovascular care is one of the four pillars of ACC's Strategic Plan. The College recognizes that achieving this goal is as much about equipping current members with the knowledge and resources they need to face today's challenges as it is about preparing tomorrow's leaders and strengthening the pipeline of diverse talent into cardiovascular medicine.

That's why the ACC has developed programs designed to help current and future cardiovascular leaders – from high school straight through retirement – develop as leaders and advance our Mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health.

Young Scholars Program

First launched at ACC.19 in New Orleans, the Young Scholars Program is an ACC Academic Cardiology Section initiative designed to introduce promising young students in their last two years of high school or first two years of college to careers in cardiovascular medicine and scientific research.

Young Scholars are paired with ACC members – physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, medical students and others – for a yearlong research project and participate in virtual calls and a multitrack webinar series.

The 2020-2021 cohort capped off their learning journey with the presentation of three abstracts at ACC.21 on the topics of mental and heart health among college students during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the challenges of seeking medical care during the pandemic.

The presentation served as evidence of the promise already being shown by tomorrow's leaders in cardiovascular medicine – a potential the ACC is committed to nurturing and seeing through to its fulfillment. Visit ACC.org/YoungScholars to learn more.

African American and Black Internal Medicine Cardiology Program

African American/Black individuals make up 17% of the U.S. population, but only 5% of the cardiovascular workforce. As ACC Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair Quinn Capers IV, MD, FACC, explains, "To continue to impact the national and global burden of heart disease, we must train a diverse group of talented cardiologists."

Spearheaded by a steering committee that includes Capers, as well as Melvin Echols, MD, FACC, and Melanie Sulistio, MD, FACC, the ACC African American/Black Internal Medicine Cardiology Program seeks to expose internal medicine trainees to career opportunities in cardiology, as well as connect these interns and residents to ACC mentors and leaders in the field. The program's ultimate objective is to ensure successful matriculation for participants into a cardiology fellowship training program – and continued growth as an ACC cardiovascular professional.

Safety permitting, program participants will attend an in-person informational and network-building session at ACC's Heart House in October. They will have an ACC member mentor and ongoing access to webinars, ACC education and courses.

Click here to learn more.

Leadership Academy

Since its launch in 2014, ACC's Leadership Academy has had a singular goal: to grow the College's leaders of tomorrow by developing early career leaders today.

The two-year, cohort-based program is open to cardiovascular professionals within the first seven years after the completion of their specialty education, residency or training. Participants are selected by an ACC member-led committee and participate in a comprehensive curriculum addressing topics ranging from critical leadership skills needed in today's health care environment to leading effectively within their respective institutions and within the ACC.

The program's second phase pairs young leaders with an ACC member mentor for a capstone project that meaningfully tackles real-world problems while also aligning with one or more of the College's strategic objective.

To date, more than 70 Leadership Academy participants have gone on to serve in leadership roles within the College, including on the ACC Board of Governors and as part of Section, Council and Chapter leadership.

Click here to read about the members of Cohort III and their capstone projects that will help to transform cardiovascular practice and improve heart health.

Clinical Trials Research Program

In line with ACC's Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, the Clinical Trials Research (CTR) Program seeks to increase the number of individuals historically underrepresented in cardiology (women, as well as Black, Latinx and Native American individuals) who serve as leaders in cardiovascular clinical trials research. Cardiologists and PhD-trained researchers can take advantage of opportunities to network with nationally recognized clinical trialists, investigators, regulatory stakeholders and industry leaders, and develop a personal career action plan.

The 2022 cohort will attend three sessions either virtually or at Heart House, as well as a series of complimentary webinars and online discussions. Program participants can also work with a mentor from the CTR faculty and steering committee on a research proposal that they can submit for a research award. Learn more at ACC.org/CTR2022.

Sandra J. Lewis Mid-Career Women's Leadership Institute

With the inaugural cohort scheduled to launch in January 2022, the Sandra J. Lewis Mid-Career Women's Leadership Institute will provide female cardiologists who are 12 to 21 years past their cardiovascular fellowship with the essential skills, tools and dedicated support to flourish during a distinct and pivotal phase of their career.

Institute attendees will have the opportunity to consider where they currently are personally and professionally, the direction they would like their career to go, the state of their current network, and the ways in which the ACC can support their professional journey.

Appointees to the program will participate in five remote learning sessions and five in-person learning sessions over a two-year period.

Click here to learn more.

Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Community

Relaunched in May, the Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Community on Member Hub, ACC's online community, provides ACC members with a self-directed forum to both learn from and advise other cardiovascular professionals – whether they're looking to participate in one-off advice, peer-to-peer support, guidance on a short-term goal, or to build a long-term mentorship relationship organically.

And because the ACC believes that everyone, regardless of career stage, has valuable perspectives to share and knowledge to gain, all members can sign up to be mentors, mentees – or both!

Join now at MemberHub.ACC.org.