About Me

Have you found your passion? 

As long as I can remember, I've had a bent toward leadership. Throughout all of my education, from elementary school to high school to college, medical school, residency, and fellowship training, I found myself in positions of leadership. When I finished medical school, I joined the US Army Reserves and later transitioned to the Air National Guard, serving 12 years in all. I've had the opportunity to build and lead three highly successful clinical programs, gaining national and international recognition. Outside of the formal leadership training and experience I've gained through the military and my medical career, I've also obtained formalized training in leadership via a Master's in Leadership at The Citadel. So, leadership is something in which I have deep knowledge and experience. 

Shortly after taking my first faculty position, I began mentoring trainees and other faculty members. It was through that process of what I refer to as "building people" that I discovered "my oxygen"--that thing that I can't live without. Having the opportunity to build into the lives of other people so that they can do great things--things they never thought they would be able to do--gives me so much more fulfillment than any personal achievement I might attain. It is my belief that sort of ethos is the heart of great leadership. It is this passion for building people, coupled with my expertise in leadership, that has led me to want to build leaders, especially leaders in medicine. 

Leading in Medicine is about building people. It's about building leaders, in part by providing tools and clear, thoughtful ways to help them develop their leadership to the fullest. This will be done through blogs, videos, and podcasts. Additionally, you, as a participant in Leadership in Medicine can influence the content by emailing to ask questions, post comments, and suggest topics. 

Thanks for being here and for leading in medicine.

Tom Collins, MD