After many late nights and weekends, Melissa Martinez-Adorno, MD, FACOG, Chair of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Southern New Hampshire Health, has received her Certified Physician Executive (CPE) credential.
“I think having an engaged, dedicated, passionate physician leader who is educated in providing good leadership benefits the system and therefore benefits the patients. Because, at the center of it all, there is no health care system without the patients,” Dr. Martinez-Adorno explains.
Dr. Martinez-Adorno has been with Foundation Medical Partners since 2004, holding leadership positions for more than 10 years. “As I started to take on more and more leadership positions, I realized I wanted to increase my education in leadership so I could come to the table with the appropriate skills. I have a significant interest in executive health care leadership; that is what I want to be when I grow up,” she jokes. “Getting my CPE is the first step for me as I move forward in my leadership with Foundation Medical Partners, Southern New Hampshire Health, and, ultimately, SolutionHealth.”
Since 1997, the Certified Physician Executive (CPE) credential has helped physicians maximize their leadership potential to influence health care. It demonstrates a physician’s commitment to quality, communication, and excellence in health care.
To receive the certification, Dr. Martinez Adorno had to complete 150 hours of continuing medical education. She also had to go through an intensive five-day program where she learned how to create a vision statement and a project plan. Upon completing that program, she had to do an oral presentation that encapsulated everything she learned during the five days. The presentation was judged on a pass or fail grading system.
“I think the program is built to be done in about 18 to 24 months. I doubled that and finished it in about five years. As a full-time physician, it’s not something I could do quickly. I had Dr. Robert Dorf’s full support, that was above and beyond what he had to do. He made it possible for me to have some extended time to complete the medical education, Because of him I was able to succeed, so full kudos to him for supporting me as a physician,” Dr. Martinez Adorno explains.
She also says her husband was a big help, “I am a mom of four. I have an 18-year-old, a 15-year-old, a 12-year-old, and a 10-year-old. He’s really the only reason I function and was able to help me get through this long process of earning my CPE.”
Dr. Martinez-Adorno says she is proud to provide an inclusive and diverse voice that is educated in health care leadership. “It’s super important for SolutionHealth to have an inclusive voice in everything we do,” she says.
