The California Health Care Foundation's (CHCF) Health Care Leadership Program helps to transform today’s clinicians into tomorrow’s leaders. Up to 32 physicians, behavioral health providers, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other health care professionals are selected annually for this two-year, part-time fellowship.

Participants continue working at their home organizations as they attend six seminars during the course of the program and meet in regional groups with designated leaders between seminars. Each fellow also completes a California Health Care Improvement Project (CHIP) of their choice according to guidelines.

The program is led by national experts in health care and leadership development from Healthforce Center at UCSF and addresses health care issues from the perspectives of business management and public policy.

Participants broaden their management skills and sharpen their leadership capacity while gaining insights into the trends and challenges facing health care in California. Alumni become part of a network of leaders who continue to collaborate and develop their skills. Since 2001, over 700 health professionals have participated in the CHCF Health Care Leadership Program. See a list of current participants and alumni.

The California Health Care Foundation funds this program, which is administered by Healthforce Center at UCSF. Watch the webinar for 2023 prospective applicants to learn about the program and curriculum and hear directly from alumni about their experiences.

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To apply for the program

The application period for the CHCF Health Care Leadership Program Cohort 24 closed May 31, 2024. To be notified when the next application period opens, email us. To get periodic updates about this and other leadership development opportunities, sign up for the Healthforce Center newsletter.

A full application includes: a completed online application, a resume, and two recommendations (one from your supervisor/sponsor organization and one from another professional reference). Before submitting an application, we encourage all applicants to work closely with their organizational leaders to identify the internal process for choosing applicants. It is the applicant's responsibility to confirm organizational support to participate, including attendance at all seminars and payment of tuition.

Program eligibility

The CHCF Health Care Leadership Program is for clinically trained professionals with at least five years of leadership experience who live and work in California. An active clinical license is not required. We seek diversity across disciplines, regions, racial/ethnic groups, and organizations with a special focus this year on:

• Clinicians in San Joaquin Valley and the San Diego area
• Black, Latino, and Indigenous clinicians
• Safety-net clinicians
• Behavioral health clinicians

Program costs

The California Health Care Foundation covers most program costs, but participants’ home organizations must pay tuition, as shown below. In addition, participants are responsible for travel expenses. Applicants should discuss with their home organizations if travel expenses may be sponsored, in addition to supporting time away and tuition costs. The tuition for Cohort 24 is:

• Safety net organizations*: $6,825 per person
• Not-for-profit organizations: $10,395 per person
• All other organizations: $12,495 per person

The full tuition amount will be due before the first seminar.

Financial assistance is available. The ability to pay is not a consideration in the selection process. Up to a 50% tuition waiver is available for individuals working at safety-net organizations located in the San Joaquin Valley and south of greater Los Angeles (e.g., San Diego, Imperial, Inland Empire). Financial assistance may not be available for future cohorts. If you have questions or if your participation in the program is dependent on financial assistance, please contact us.

*Safety-net organizations are those that organize and deliver a significant level of health care or health-related services to uninsured, Medicaid, and other vulnerable populations, as well as providers who by mandate or mission offer access to care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay and whose patient populations includes a substantial share of uninsured, Medicaid, and other vulnerable patients. Examples of safety net organizations include: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Centers, Indian or Tribal Clinics, nonprofit community or free clinics licensed by the state as primary care clinics, clinics affiliated with DSH facilities, governmental health agencies and publicly operated health plans.

Program format

The CHCF Health Care Leadership Program is grounded in Healthforce Center’s adaptive leadership model, which consists of four interlinked domains — Purpose, Process, People, and Personal. Each domain consists of a set of distinct leadership competencies. Elements of the CHCF Health Care Leadership Program include onsite learning experiences, interaction with colleagues from the field, and exposure to nationally recognized faculty experienced in business, leadership, health care, and public policy. Particpants are actively engaged throughout the two-year program by means of:

• Seminars: Seminars focus on the skills and competencies needed to advance in executive leadership positions. These sessions provide interactive, experiential lessons that allow clinician leaders to explore challenges and develop strong peer networks.
• Intersession activity: Between seminars, a variety of activities reinforce skills and lessons and prepare for seminars. Assignments include readings and case studies; peer group interactions; remote conferences with faculty and advisors; and tools to track development goals and share experiences and progress. Fellows are expected to devote five to 10 hours per week between sessions to program-related activities.
• Pods: These small groups help provide support, feedback, and learning opportunities throughout the fellowship.
• Coaching: Each participant receives five hours of individual executive development coaching.
• Organizational project: Participants complete leadership projects at their home organization on a topic of their choice following program guidelines.

Curriculum threads addressed in the learning seminars that help build participant skills include: self-awareness; business acumen and entrepreneurship; working with others; environmental context and systems; communication and presence; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and policy and advocacy.

California Health Care Improvement Projects (CHIPs)

CHIPS are designed by CHCF Health Care Leadership Program participants with the goal of addressing meaningful challenges or opportunities in health care. Browse CHIPs to leverage the work, expertise and experience of CHCF alumni and find opportunities to collaborate in order to improve health for Californians.

Browse CHIPs

CHCF Alumni Network

The CHCF Health Care Leadership Program gives participants access to over 700 clinician leaders that make up the CHCF Alumni Network. This unique collective of leaders serves as a trusted community of peers connected by shared values and approaches to leadership. Strong relationships help leaders tackle some of the most difficult challenges in the field. Nearly all alumni (90%) agree that the network plays a role in transforming health care in California. Learn more about the CHCF Alumni Network.

Program testimonials

“The CHCF Health Care Leadership Program was and continues to be a transformational experience for me. Through its network of fellows and alumni, I believe the program is making quality, cost, and health care experience improvements at every level of policy and operations throughout the state.”

— Susan Ehrlich, MD, MPP, CEO, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

“Health care providers are trained to excel in utilizing clinical skills to provide patient care. When I assumed leadership responsibility, I was challenged to acquire the necessary skills to lead an effective healthcare team. The CHCF fellowship closed that gap. It will also provide the origin for your leadership journey.”
— Amy Gutierrez, PharmD, Vice President, Chief Pharmacy Officer, Kaiser Permanente

“The program has been the best thing I have ever done for my professional and personal development. Leadership is not a sprint, but a marathon. To be successful, you can’t run it alone.”
— Michael Scott, MD, Department Chair, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Los Angeles County

“To learn how we as clinicians can be influential and to be able to meet decision-makers for California, is really an incredible opportunity."
— Efrain Talmantes, MD, MBA, MSc, Medical Director for Health Equity, AltaMed Health Services