National Women Physicians Day spotlight: The AOA’s dynamic female leaders

For the first time in its history, the AOA has a female president as well as a female CEO serving concurrently. In honor of National Women Physicians Day on Feb. 3, I had the privilege of speaking with AOA president Teresa A. Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist.), FACOG, CS, and AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA. Together, we discussed their experiences in leadership and the impact of their roles within the osteopathic medical community and beyond.

The following are edited Q&As.

AOA president Teresa A. Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist.), FACOG, CS

National Women Physicians Day highlights the contributions of women in medicine. How do observances like this one foster conversations about leadership and the evolving role of physicians as leaders in health care?

When it comes to leadership in general, physicians must take charge. We must understand that our patients are looking for physicians to lead the health care process. We can do that by learning about the needs of our patients, and by getting involved in leadership opportunities. There are so many opportunities, and I believe there’s a strong place for female leadership in medicine. We provide different kinds of processes and styles of health care, and it makes a difference.

What advice do you have for emerging physician leaders, specifically DOs or osteopathic medical students? How can they use their unique training and experiences to advocate for change within the health care community?

For DOs, residents and osteopathic medical students, it’s important for them to embrace who they are and be proud of it! During training, students should let patients and colleagues know that they are an OMS I, II, III or IV, and when they become residents or physicians in training, they should let others know that they are a DO. This brings recognition to the type of physician they are.

They also need to embrace the osteopathic principle of whole-person care and a “body, mind and spirit” mindset. Every aspect of a patient, including their emotional and physical health, and even their financial health, is important. We help patients overcome some of the roadblocks they face when seeking good health. We guide them and teach them.

With that in mind, leadership opportunities for new and aspiring osteopathic physicians can be found by looking at ways to advocate for patients and teaching them about our osteopathic distinction. Getting involved in the AOA’s Bureau of Emerging Leaders (BEL) and DO Day in Washington, D.C., every year is an excellent opportunity to advocate for positive change in the health care community. Other options can include roles within their state associations, specialty colleges, hospitals and education systems.

Why is the whole-person care model important to you?

Whole-person care includes every aspect of a person’s well-being, the focus of osteopathic physicians. When I attended Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM), the physicians who taught me were very engaged and interested in not only teaching me, but also in teaching their patients. They taught me to think differently and to look at all aspects of patient care and well-being. I was encouraged to talk to patients about their emotional and mental health in addition to their physical health. I learned how to look completely at a patient by examining, thinking and observing my patients differently.

During my osteopathic medical school training and residency, it was so enjoyable to be able to treat the body, mind and spirit of patients. When I opened my own obstetrics and gynecology practice, I knew that was the kind of medicine I wanted to continue to bring to my patients. I’ve always enjoyed helping patients learn about themselves and being a part of their care.

In addition to a quality medical education, what values do you believe are important for future physician leaders to possess?

Physicians definitely have to lead our health care teams, but we also have to learn and continue growing. Learning how to listen and assess situations are vital skills. Leaders listen and assess first but are also able to engage and build up others. Good leaders know it’s not about them or their reputation. They know that team efforts are key and gathering ideas, bringing together the health care team and being the decision maker are qualities of an excellent leader.

What would you like to accomplish during the second half of your presidential term at the AOA?

The overarching theme of my presidential term has been “Excellence in all things.” As the president of the AOA, I want to see more recognition of our distinctive approach to medicine and leadership, and how osteopathic physicians bring excellence to the field of medicine.

One of my presidential goals focuses on our heritage and legacy because I want our physicians to understand our place in innovative health care delivery—it started 150 years ago when A.T. Still, MD, DO, knew medicine could be so much better than it was at the time.

Several groups are at work addressing my presidential goals in osteopathic distinction, physician leadership, solidarity and AI solutions to lead us into the next 150 years, and the next half of my presidency will allow me to focus on the critical things we can accomplish together.

We are fortunate to be part of the osteopathic profession! We’ve come a long way in 150 years, and we will keep making progress and finding innovative solutions to best serve our patients.

AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA

How has your perspective as a nonphysician shaped your approach to leading in the health care industry?

My outlook has given me tremendous respect for physicians and the amount of education and training they undertake. The commitments and sacrifices they make throughout their careers are commendable, and we owe them our gratitude, admiration and respect.

What in your career has most shaped your perspective on leadership?

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to observe fantastic leaders modeling the behavior that represents the type of individual that I strive to be. I’ve seen situations in which leaders have been faced with tough decisions and had to call upon their moral beliefs to make choices, while recognizing how those actions and choices impact others.

In general, I believe that observing strong leaders has given me immense respect for the difficulties that come along with serving in leadership roles. I’ve also learned the importance of being authentic, direct, open, transparent and compassionate in all of your communications.

There are a few specific female leaders whom I particularly look up to and work to emulate. AOA Past President Karen J. Nichols, DO, is one. She is a master at what she does, from both a leadership and mentorship perspective. It’s also been a lot of fun working with Dr. Hubka and seeing how truly devoted she is to the osteopathic profession. I’ve been exposed to many other female leader role models throughout my career, including other association executive directors and physician leaders such as Geraldine O’Shea, DO.

The common thread among these women is that they lift others up. They are not threatened by having smart, talented people around them. They want others to thrive and succeed; they give people opportunities and guidance that allows them to grow. To me, that’s the mark of a truly great leader.

How do you define success?

From a professional standpoint, success, to me, is working with the AOA’s leaders to foster a strong organization that best represents the profession. It’s so important that we support osteopathic physicians and osteopathic medical students and give them the tools that they need to best serve their patients. Bringing together leaders and giving them the information they need to make wise decisions on behalf of the organization and the profession is what success looks like to me.

From a personal standpoint, success is finding a balance between the demands of long hours at work and frequent travel and maintaining relationships with family and friends.

How does the AOA support the development and success of current and future leaders?

The AOA focuses heavily on leadership, both internally and externally. We have the AOA Leadership Academy, which has exponentially grown over the time it has been in operation. It’s an incredible opportunity for both osteopathic physicians and students to develop their knowledge base and leadership skills. Furthermore, the Leadership Academy is open to AOA staff members, allowing them to participate alongside our DOs and students.

From an internal standpoint, I encourage our staff leaders to provide their teams with opportunities to continue their education and attend programs that foster and develop their leadership skills. As we seek individuals to fill open positions within the AOA, we are very cognizant of looking internally first to give current staff the opportunity to develop and expand their skillsets. We want to help our staff ensure that their career trajectory remains on the right path, and we are dedicated to providing ongoing support.

What advice would you give to women who may feel hesitant to step into leadership roles in traditionally male-dominated spaces?

My recommendation is to just do it. Just do it! It can be so rewarding. It’s important not to limit yourself. Don’t have the mindset that, as a female, you may have some sort of perceived limitations. Just be your authentic self.

Know when to admit that you need support and look for reliable folks around you who can assist and provide the guidance needed to help you succeed. Ask for constructive feedback on ways you can continue to develop your skills. Be open to being a lifelong learner. Surround yourself with smart, supportive people and don’t be afraid to ask for the tools you need to succeed.

Related reading:

Meet the AOA’s 128th President, Teresa Hubka, DO

The sacrifices women physicians make: Balancing a medical career and family

A.T. Still’s first osteopathic medical school class included 6 women: We talked to some of their descendants