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We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: The ability to accept failures and \u201chard truths\u201d are essential qualities of a good leader. Leadership ability can be improved over time. CHICAGO \u2014 Women working as physicians should not wait to be asked to take on leadership positions at their practices, according to a presenter at the Women in Medicine Summit. \u201cI was just a regular old, middle-of-the-pack person for most of my life,\u201d Christine DeSanno, DO, chief of service in the department of emergency medicine at NYU Langone Health, told Healio. \u201cI did not seek out leadership positions.\u201d
However, after working as an emergency medicine physician for several years, DeSanno began to look for professional development opportunities. She applied to be an assistant program director for a new residency program at her hospital and was chosen after a \u201cstrenuous\u201d interview process, she said. She described being shocked when she landed the job. \u201cI had a moment of crisis,\u201d DeSanno said. \u201cImposter syndrome set in.\u201d However, she eventually embraced the challenges and the discomfort of being in a leadership position, which led her to start saying \u201cyes\u201d to things she might have declined earlier in her career. \u201cYou have to embrace your discomfort,\u201d she said. That ultimately led DeSanno to her next role as chief of emergency medicine at NYU Langone. \u201cBut through both of those journeys, I felt I did not know what I was doing,\u201d she said. \u201cI felt like I wasn\u2019t qualified. I felt like everyone else was more qualified. I asked, \u2018Why me?\u2019\u201d DeSanno acknowledged making mistakes in these early leadership roles. \u201cBut I learned from them,\u201d she said. \u201cI figured a lot of things out about myself and about leadership in general.\u201d The first lesson she learned is that many leaders \u2014 both men and women \u2014 also feel that they are unqualified or that they do not know what they are doing. The next lesson she learned was how to reframe her discomfort and imposter syndrome. \u201cYou have to learn to grow through your experiences, whether they are successes or failures,\u201d DeSanno said. \u201cLeadership ability can be improved and developed over time. Confidence can be developed over time. You have to take those moments to assess your reality and figure out where you need to improve. Just because you feel like an imposter does not mean you are one.\u201d Authenticity is another essential component of leadership, according to DeSanno. \u201cDo not be a replica of other leaders,\u201d she said. Teamwork is critical to strong leadership, DeSanno added. \u201cMany of us try to navigate our success ourselves, and take credit for that success,\u201d she said. \u201cBut, really, you need people in your corner.\u201d Mentors can be helpful, but sponsors and peers can also offer valuable input on the areas of leadership that are working and those that need improvement. \u201cYou should have people in your circle who are not afraid to tell you hard truths,\u201d DeSanno said. \u201cYou should have people in your industry and from other organizations or departments you can talk to who will give you perspective.\u201d A final portion of DeSanno\u2019s talk focused specifically on women. \u201cOften, as professional women, we wait for things to happen,\u201d she said. \u201cWe wait for permission to do things and do not seek opportunities at the same rate as men.\u201d DeSanno then raised an important question for WIM attendees to consider. \u201cWho are we waiting for permission from?\u201d she asked. \u201cFrom ourselves?\u201d For more information: Christine DeSanno, DO, can be reached at cdesanno@gmail.com. Published by: Sources\/Disclosures Source: Healio Interview Reference: DeSanno C. Accidental Leadership: Becoming the leader before you felt ready. Presented at the Women in Medicine Summit; Sept. 24-26, 2026; Chicago.
Disclosures:
DeSanno reports no relevant financial disclosures.
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