While all regional health systems compete, when it comes to supporting health care leaders and the next generation of administrators, partnership takes precedent.

VCU Health Administration associate chair Saleema Karim, Ph.D. has been named the Bon Secours Professor of the department. Established in 2006, the Bon Secours Professorship aims to attract distinguished scholars in health administration, with a preference that the individual be a scholar in not-for-profit hospitals and system performance.

“Many Bon Secours leaders have come through VCU Health Administration — including me,” says Chris Accashian, FACHE, MHA ‘01 and chief operating officer for Bon Secours Richmond Health System. “The VCU program provides a great foundation for creating well-rounded leaders for any health care organization. The Bon Secours Professorship is an investment in future health care leaders and part of our mission to give back to and improve the health and well-being of our communities. We appreciate what VCU Health Administration has done not only for Bon Secours, but for the health care community at large.”

Dr. Karim is named on 48 peer-reviewed publications in top health management journals, has presented her work internationally and held continuous grant funding since 2015. Most recently, she served as principal investigator on a study looking at a rural hospital’s performance in a project funded by the American Hospital Association. Dr. Karim holds a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill along with an MHA and MBA from Dalhousie University in Canada. 

“Achieving this milestone has been a rewarding journey, driven by what has been a commitment to both teaching and research,” says Karim, an accomplished researcher in hospital financial sustainability and addressing geographical disparities in access. “This professorship provides a unique opportunity to deepen this work, and I’m excited to uphold the Bon Secours name by advancing meaningful research and impactful teaching.”

Paula Song, Ph.D., the Richard M. Bracken Chair and Professor of Health Administration, said endowed professorships are critical to attracting and retaining the best and brightest faculty, help VCU Health Administration keep its status as a top-ranked program and insulate salaries from the unknowns of state budgets and tuition income. “And Saleema is particularly worthy of this professorship due not only to her research and her rapport with students and faculty, but beyond that, she’s also a kind person and bright light in our department who is always pushing and encouraging others to become their best,” Song said.

Dr. Karim is also celebrated as an outstanding educator, earning teaching awards at VCU, UNC, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. 

“Dr. Karim is one of the hardest working professors I have ever had,” one student said of Dr. Karim in a teaching evaluation. “It's obvious she puts a ton of work into this course, from the detailed slides and class handouts to being on call for us three week evenings in a row for exam review. I've never had a course where grades and feedback come back so quickly and consistently. Dr. Karim is a treasure to this department.”

The non-profit Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) is one of the 20 largest health systems in the U.S. and the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the country. Bon Secours Richmond Health System serves the greater Richmond and Rappahannock communities with health care facilities at seven hospitals and medical centers. The health system employs more than 60,000 associates in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia, as well as throughout Ireland. Its network of more than 1,200 care sites, includes 49 hospitals.