DGTL Voices with Ed Marx

EPISODE: “Courageous Leadership in Healthcare” (ft. Dr. Helen Boucher)

Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Ed Marx
Guest: Dr. Helen Boucher (Dean, Tufts University School of Medicine; Chief Academic Officer, Tufts Medicine)

Overview

This episode of DGTL Voices is a rich and insightful conversation between Ed Marx and Dr. Helen Boucher, exploring the evolving landscape of healthcare leadership, the fusion of academic and health system responsibilities, and the personal foundations of effective leadership. The discussion dives into Dr. Boucher’s personal background, career journey, her reflections on courageous decision-making (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), advancements in medical education, and tips for emerging healthcare leaders navigating the complexities of today’s environment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Foundations and Mantras

• Dr. Boucher shares early personal influences, her musical tastes, and life mantras:
  • “Just say yes”— a lesson from her father encouraging openness to opportunities.
  • “AMDG (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam)”— a Jesuit maxim meaning “for the greater glory of God” that guides her approach to work and life.
    [01:46]

“One is just say yes. That's been taught to me all the way back from my dad… The other one is a Jesuit mantra, amdg...for the greater glory of God.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (01:46)

2. Early Life, Education, and Medical Inspiration

• Grew up in a supportive, close-knit Irish family; moved frequently due to her father’s sales job.
• Attended Holy Cross (a Jesuit college), where she met her husband.
• Inspired to pursue medicine by a caring pediatrician, despite medicine being an unusual path in her family.
  [02:33–03:40]

“I had an unusual sort of illness as a child, but I got to know my pediatrician very well. Amazing guy, asked a lot of questions. And I knew from a pretty young age that I liked medicine... It didn’t come easy to me...but it was that young age experience that made the difference for me.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (03:14)

3. Career Path: From Teaching to Infectious Diseases and Academia

• Initially intended to become a pediatrician, ended up in adult infectious diseases.
• Teaching background: Taught school two years before medical school.
• Inspired by mentors during the AIDS epidemic, blending patient care with research.
• Emphasized the importance of being at the nexus of clinical trials during a time of rapid therapeutic advancement (AIDS epidemic).
  [03:46–06:07]

“When I did my training in infectious diseases, it was the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. We were doing a lot of trials...the only way our patients could get access to the newly emerging therapies was to be in trials. So I understood the importance of being at that juncture, and I never wanted to leave.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (05:33)

4. Unplanned Path to Leadership

• Did not foresee becoming dean; describes her career as “nonlinear,” including a stint with Pfizer in the UK.
• Leadership lessons from industry: Managing large teams, adapting to new environments.
• Juggles two major leadership roles—Dean of the Medical School (essentially the CEO) and Chief Academic Officer of Tufts Medicine, emphasizing the need to empower teams, fundraise, navigate complex structures, and foster academic-health system partnerships.
  [06:28–08:49]

“You’re like the CEO of the med school...My job is to empower my team to be able to deliver on our mission...That includes things like fundraising, a lot of administrative work, meetings, and working with a lot of different groups.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (07:08)

5. Advancements in Medical Training

• Highlights dramatic shifts in medical education:
  • Today’s students engage with patients from their first months (compared to late second year in her time).
  • The scientific foundation and use of technology, including AI, is far more advanced for current learners. [09:37–10:15]

“Students today start seeing patients right away. When I went to medical school, we didn’t meet a patient until towards the end of our second year. … What the students today learn in college is beyond what I learned in medical school, if you think about the science.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (09:47)

6. Navigating AI and Emerging Technology

• Urges the importance of discernment and ethical considerations in AI.
• References Dr. Bob Wachter’s work on the challenges patients face using AI for health information.
• Suggests clinicians are better trained to utilize AI effectively than laypersons, challenges for patient-facing AI are significant.
  [10:34–11:20]

“It’s likely going to be easier to train AI for scientists and doctors...than it is for patients, because the way patients ask questions could...get more junky answers. I thought that was really, really interesting. And I think for all of us, we’re going to have to be wary of both the opportunities and the pitfalls of AI...”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (10:34)

7. Leadership Qualities & Lessons from the Pandemic

• Cites “courage” as the defining trait of strong leaders, especially evident during crisis situations like COVID-19.
• Reflected on consulting for schools and organizations during the pandemic—those who made bold, values-based decisions (even if difficult) ultimately served their communities best.
• Emphasizes the importance of making decisions amid uncertainty and being willing to take calculated risks.
  [11:54–13:04]

“Courage is one thing that I would call out, because [Covid] was an example where courageous leadership was required. It took a lot of courage to say: we’re going to make it safe enough to go back to school, to go back to work, to do what we need to do...I saw examples where a courageous leader succeeded...And then I saw other places where the ask was easier, but the leadership wasn’t as courageous and they didn’t succeed.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (12:11)

8. Career Influences & Ongoing Learning

• Credits parents for their supportive upbringing.
• Highlights the enduring value of broad liberal arts education and rigorous medical training.
• Stresses critical thinking as an essential lifelong skill, across clinical and administrative domains.
  [13:23–14:00]

“My Holy Cross liberal arts education taught me how to think and how to be a critical thinker. And then the training I had in infectious disease and medicine, those are two incredible gifts.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (13:43)

9. Hard Lessons Learned

• Communication is crucial; must over-communicate big decisions, considering all stakeholders.
• Recognizes the common pitfall of underestimating the number of people affected by decisions and the need for persistent messaging. [14:39–15:13]

“When you are thinking about big decisions, it’s so tempting to think you know who the two or three stakeholders are. In real life, there are probably 20...Once a decision is made...you have to say it at least seven times. I think it’s probably 27 times...I’ve had bruises to show for getting that wrong.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (14:39)

10. Wellness and Recharge

• Keeps energy and perspective through:
  • Regular training/exercise with a personal trainer
  • Time with friends and family
  • World travel; highlights a recent trip to Madrid while visiting her daughter’s study abroad semester
    [15:28–16:02]

11. Advice and Final Reflections

• Stresses aligning professional life with personal values.
• Urges listeners (especially ambitious professionals) to never let their career interfere with family or what matters most.
• Pays tribute to her husband and daughters for their unwavering support over the years.
  [16:52]

“I think that one of the things that I like to talk to folks about is making sure you take time...to make sure that your career never interferes with your family and your loved ones, you know, whatever you care the most about.”
— Dr. Helen Boucher (16:52)

Notable Quotes

• “Just say yes...something that has served me well.” (Helen Boucher, 01:46)
• “You’re like the CEO of the med school…My job is to empower my team to deliver on our mission.” (Helen Boucher, 07:08)
• “Courage is one thing that I would call out...” (Helen Boucher, 12:11)
• “I think it’s probably 27 times...I’ve had bruises to show for getting that wrong.” (Helen Boucher, 14:39)
• “Never let your career interfere with your family and your loved ones.” (Helen Boucher, 16:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:20] Dr. Boucher’s music playlist and life mantras
• [02:33] Family background and early influences
• [03:14] Inspiration to pursue medicine
• [03:46] Specialization in infectious diseases
• [05:18] Transition to academia and impact of the AIDS epidemic
• [06:28] Path to leadership and industry experience
• [07:08] The role and responsibilities of a medical school dean
• [09:37] Differences in medical education: then vs now
• [10:34] AI in healthcare, opportunities and challenges
• [11:54] Leadership and courage during COVID-19
• [13:23] Career influences and critical thinking
• [14:39] Communications pitfalls in leadership
• [15:28] Personal strategies for balance and recharge
• [16:52] Final advice: prioritizing family and what matters most

Memorable Moments

• Reunion with her pediatrician after decades, sharing mutual pride in their Tufts connection. (04:28–05:06)
• Vivid depiction of medical school students now seeing patients within weeks of arrival—a striking shift in clinical education. (09:47)
• Her candor about learning the importance of over-communicating leadership decisions and the “bruises” earned along the way. (14:39)

Tone and Takeaways

Dr. Helen Boucher speaks with warmth, humility, and candor—sharing inspirational messages for established and aspiring leaders alike. The episode blends practical leadership wisdom with personal storytelling, underscoring themes of courage, gratitude, and lifelong learning.

Recommended for:
Healthcare professionals, leaders, educators, anyone interested in transformative leadership, digital health, and the changing face of medical education.