Graham McMahon, President and CEO of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), discusses how he's revolutionizing medical education not as a compliance task but as an invigorating journey for clinicians. McMahon brings a wealth of experience from Harvard Medical School and the New England Journal of Medicine, advocating for learning as a lifelong privilege. Key topics include the evolution of educational approaches, the importance of applying information contextually in patient care, and fostering collaboration across medical hierarchies. Emphasizing trust and authenticity, McMahon also reflects on personal identity in leadership and how endurance running teaches perseverance and resilience. This conversation illustrates the transformative impact of education on clinician performance and patient outcomes, grounded in humility and professional integrity.
Takeaways:
- Trust is the foundation of influence and is built on authenticity and consistency. Graham McMahon emphasizes that trust is essential for effective influence, whether with a patient, a colleague, or in system-wide change. This trust is hard to gain and easy to lose, requiring leaders to "walk the talk" and maintain a clean record. Showing up as your authentic self is key to building this foundational trust.
- Modern medical education has shifted from information transfer to the application of knowledge. With information readily available to both clinicians and patients, the focus of medical education is now on applying that information to complex, contextual problem-solving for individual patients. The goal is to elevate the human clinician's role in guiding patients to the best decisions for their specific needs.
- Effective collaboration requires sacrificing some autonomy for the greater good. To break down silos and drive systemic change, leaders must be willing to compromise and harmonize with partners rather than expecting others to conform to their rules. McMahon points to the ACCME's collaboration across professions in medicine, nursing, and pharmacy as an example of creating a unified framework that serves the entire community.
- A successful framework for influence and collaboration involves four key steps. McMahon outlines a strategy applicable in both professional and personal contexts: 1) Establish a reputation of trust; 2) Set a shared, common goal; 3) Develop a fair pathway to achieve the goal; and 4) Set meaningful, short-term benchmarks to build momentum.
- Embracing risk is crucial for innovation and growth. Leaders must be willing to take calculated risks to move beyond the seductive comfort of the status quo. This requires creating a culture where the team trusts the leader, agrees on the ultimate goal, and understands that not all risks will succeed. It's equally important to recognize when an initiative isn't working and be willing to "pull the plug".
- Authenticity unlocks personal and professional potential. McMahon shares his personal experience as a gay immigrant, explaining that hiding parts of one's identity can be a significant constraint. Allowing people to be their authentic selves fosters a positive environment, builds trust, and brings a diversity of lived experiences and new ideas to the workplace.
- Leadership involves lifelong learning and mentorship. Effective leaders not only mentor others but also actively seek guidance and wisdom themselves, often from people outside their immediate field. McMahon stresses the importance of passing on lessons learned from his own mentors while remaining open to new advice to continue his growth.
Quote of the Show:
- "That joy of realizing I could make a difference for someone else is exactly why I chose education to be a core part of how I show up in this profession and in the house of medicine."
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