Jess Bunin offers a new blueprint for healthcare leadership

The American Association for Physician Leadership is publishing Bunin’s framework to address the gap between technical medical training and the human realities of managing teams. Bunin draws on her two decades of military service, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and her background in psychiatry to outline a three-part approach. The text moves from internal development—tackling perfectionism and values—to the mechanics of building and repairing trust, before finally focusing on creating cultures of psychological safety amidst institutional pressure.

Bunin suggests that the most consequential challenges in medicine are fundamentally relational rather than operational. Her transition from leading critical care units to serving as a coach informs a perspective that favors durable, practice-based skills over abstract theory. The book aims to serve as a resource for physicians at any career stage, whether they are stepping into their first management role or navigating the demands of senior leadership. By integrating lessons from her experience as a triple cancer survivor and a West Point graduate, Bunin emphasizes that vulnerability and honest communication are essential tools for anyone responsible for the well-being of a clinical team.