This is why we’re holding the first-ever Leadership Summit for Women in Academic Medicine and Healthcare

A recent story in the New York Times written by Dr. Pauline W. Chen explains the challenges women leaders in healthcare and academic medicine face. And it also explains why we believe it’s so important for women in healthcare and academic medicine to have a place to come together and learn valuable skills from those who’ve blazed the trail. And this is why we are co-producing our first-ever Leadership Summit for Women in Healthcare and Academic Medicine with the University of Michigan Medial School next month.

“I recently learned that a doctor friend had seriously considered quitting her job at her medical school to go into private practice,” writes Dr. Chen in her article titled “Sharing the pain of Women in Medicine.” “As long as I have known her, she has talked about her love for teaching new doctors and conducting research while still caring for patients. Nonetheless, I wasn’t surprised to hear the reason she wanted to leave.

“’I got tired of being a woman in academic medicine,’” she said.

“She recounted how, much more than her male colleagues, she would be assigned to work during major holidays, cover for others’ absences and sit on administrative committees that took time away from the research required to advance her career. When she spoke to her chairman about the discrepancies, he listened — but never responded to her repeated requests for a raise or more support.

“What surprised me, however, was what finally persuaded her to stay. When she described her situation to some male colleagues, they listened attentively, then began relaying their frustrations with how little support they got from superiors.

“’It’s hard being a woman here, but I concluded it’s not that great for anyone else either,’” she said.

“Sadly, her assessment seems to be correct, according to a recent study on the experiences of women and men working in medical schools.

“Academic medical centers — institutions that have as their primary mission the training of new doctors, medical research and comprehensive clinical care – have long played a crucial role in how medicine is practiced in the United States. While historically most doctors were men, medical schools began broadening their admissions policies a little over a generation ago, so that women soon made up anywhere from a third to half of all students and trainees and an increasing percentage of the professors.

“But in 2000, a landmark national survey of those working in these institutions revealed that gender bias was widespread. More than half of the women professors surveyed reported being discriminated against or sexually harassed, even as most of their male colleagues believed that such disparities in their institutions did not exist.”

Continue reading.

Sound familiar? We can help, and there are still a few spots open if you want to attend this groundbreaking, 1-day event.

Learn more here.