Navigating Challenges for Psychologist Leaders in Academic Health Centers

While psychologists possess unique and valuable skills that can contribute to leadership within academic health centers (AHCs), there are common barriers within these institutions that impede psychologists' engagement in leadership. As a result, significant educational efforts and challenges to entrenched norms are often required to advocate for the field of psychology, particularly when working outside of centralized psychology departments. In the following article, four psychologist colleagues working in a centralized department of psychiatry at a single AHC share their recent experiences facing barriers to leadership roles. The authors describe the impact of historical context on the challenges they face, as well as the actions they have taken to support the advancement of psychologists. These actions include leveraging interdisciplinary support, learning from other fields, and developing a curriculum to enhance financial and business acumen in psychology trainees. The authors also review the importance of staying informed about state and federal policy changes that impact healthcare systems, so that psychologists can help lead in responding to these changes in value-consistent ways. By advocating for the unique contributions psychologists offer and addressing the structural barriers in many AHCs, psychologists can more effectively navigate and shape leadership pathways.