An interdisciplinary, global approach to health equity leadership: lessons from the Atlantic Fellows for Health...

Health equity cannot be achieved without transformative leaders, yet there is little social sector investment dedicated to leadership development. Educational curricula may highlight the tremendous burden of health inequities, but usually without providing learners the skills to address them.

The Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity (AFHE), based at the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, brings together emerging international leaders across diverse disciplines to learn, develop, and share innovative approaches to eliminating health disparities. Established in 2017, the AFHE is a 1-year, nonresidential program with recruitment starting in the spring, selection occurring in August, and commencement starting the following January of each year. Between 2017 and 2024, 122 fellows from 31 countries completed the program. The program blends in-person and online learning. Alternating and intertwining concepts of health equity and leadership, fellows are engaged in both topical learning and skills development in biweekly sessions throughout the year. Graduates of the program are supported with further opportunities for skills development, networking, and amplification of their work.

The 2023 Senior Fellows Survey, a 26-item electronically administered survey, was sent to 88 fellows, with 51 fellows (58%) responding. The survey responses demonstrated that fellows continue to use the leadership and equity skills gained from the fellowship in their daily work, including in expanding access to care, supporting vulnerable populations, and influencing change at their institutions.

Next steps include broadening the fellowship's content and delivery to include new international initiatives and diverse approaches to advancing health equity-based fellow-directed projects and deepening of partnerships with values-aligned global organizations. The AFHE is highly adaptable and scalable. The fellowship principles have already been replicated in other formal programs, including in the United States and Argentina.