Engaging the Chapter with an Actionable Plan: The FCACC FIT Leadership Academy Experience
Written by Carlos Vergara Sanchez, MD
I am often asked how chapter involvement can serve as a tool to develop leadership skills and grow within the American College of Cardiology. As a fellow-in-training (FIT) the question both amuses and energizes me, as I’ve come to appreciate the tremendous potential it offers, sometimes even more than what I’ve experienced at the national level.
Being part of a FIT Committee at the chapter level can be challenging at first. There are often no set expectations or formal rules, and there may be little to no guidance. It’s essentially a blank canvas—an open space for whoever takes the initiative to shape their own journey. For some, that may feel overwhelming. But I saw it as an opportunity to be creative and leave a lasting impact.
The FIT Leadership Academy helped me engage my local chapter and opened the door to ample opportunities.
When I applied to become vice-chair of the FIT Committee—transitioning from third-year internal medicine resident to first-year cardiology fellow—I had a clear vision. My goal wasn’t to be the next chair, but to implement something unique, that reflected my passion and identity. I wanted to dedicate time to one of my lifelong interests: professional development—specifically, nurturing leadership skills in the healthcare workforce. This is something I’ve long found lacking in medical education, yet it’s indispensable for success, especially in organized medicine.
That’s how the idea for the FIT Leadership Academy was born.
The structure of the program reflected what I envisioned as an emerging leader in cardiology. I began by reaching out to some of the incredible leaders I had met across the Florida chapter—people I had worked with or admired. I contacted those who best embodied the characteristics of each topic and to my surprise, each one was enthusiastic and eager to contribute. To me, that exemplified the kind of leader I want to emulate and learn from—selfless, accomplished, and committed to paying it forward. Once the speakers were confirmed and the curriculum was shaped, the next step was organizing everything into a structured proposal— with goals, format, dates—and submitting it for approval. The final product was a fantastic 10 month virtual interactive lecture series that covered topics from “finding your why” to “preventing burnout during fellowship and beyond”. (Find the full agenda in this link: https://accfl.org/FIT-Leadership-Academy).
This step marked the true turning point—where chapter engagement became a powerful catalyst for my career development. The support from chapter leadership was tremendous. Jennifer Beckman, Executive Director of the Chapter, Holly Reigner, and Dr. David
Winchester, then-Governor for the chapter, provided all the resources necessary to launch the program. It rolled out with great success—not only impacting our local chapter but also resonating nationally and even internationally, reaching chapters in Argentina and the Dominican Republic.
We had around 100 registrants, with approximately 20 participants gathered monthly for 10 months to hone their leadership skills—each hoping to make a difference in their own micro-universe. I participated as moderator in the sessions, and the feedback received from the attendees was outstanding. One of the participants, that connected from Argentina expressed how the course allowed him to feel that he belonged to an internationally connected community through the American College of Cardiology.
After the Academy, my relationship with the board of directors deepened, and I believe opportunities for fellows also expanded in parallel. This led to the creation of new leadership roles within the FIT Committee and a greater desire from the chapter to hear our voices and ideas. Currently, activities from the Academy have expanded to initiatives like the FIT Journal Club, FIT the guidelines program and with additional programs on the horizon. Finally, to secure the continuity of the academy there is an appointed faculty advisor that will continue to support its growth and facilitate the transition to the next FIT chair.
The biggest lesson? One of the most effective ways to engage your chapter is to come with a clear plan—and execute it. I can confidently say that your local leadership will welcome the energy and vision that fellows bring, and they’ll be eager to support the next generation of cardiologists as leaders in cardiovascular care.
Written by: Carlos Vergara Sanchez, MD, a second year cardiology fellow at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.
Edited by: Francisco Ujueta, MD MS
