Women in Surgery: Achieving Life Balance for Both Genders
The Women in Surgery group sponsored by the
Department of Surgery is a collaboration between the
Department and the undergraduate medical students.
Formed in 2006, its original purpose was to support,
mentor and encourage women interested in pursuing
surgery as a career. Over the last several years the group
recognized that while there are issues unique to women
in the surgical culture, there are also many that are
important to both men and women.
The group has evolved and expanded its mandate to
encourage, support and mentor current and future surgical
trainees of both genders at all levels. The group meets
approximately 3 times a year and presents topics decided
by a committee of undergraduate medical students with
faculty support. The first event of this academic year was
held in November at the Faculty Club. A panel focused
on the myths and realities of the surgical culture. A
diverse group of our faculty talked about their decision
to become surgeons, and the demands and challenges of
their professional and personal lives. Surgeons at various
stages of their careers enabled students to see the changes
that the specialty has undergone over time and where it
may be moving in the future. The open and interactive
discussion gave our undergraduates the opportunity to
address their own concerns and myths about surgery.
In early February we had the pleasure of hearing Dr.
Marla Shapiro talk to the group about achieving balance
in a surgical career. Her poignant and very moving
personal story around finding balance in her own life
after breast cancer struck a chord with our audience and
certainly gave everyone pause for thought about finding
balance early and consistently. Once more we had several
of our faculty discuss their own strategies for achieving a
healthy life balance.
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Undergraduate medical students: Jessica Shih; Katie Phillips and
Andrew Warkentin with Dr. Marla Shapiro, second from right (missing
undergraduate committee members: Dupe Oyewumi and Caroline Scott)
Our final event of the academic year planned for May
will focus on transitions and negotiating change in a
career path. I would encourage our undergraduate medical
students, residents, fellows and faculty to join us for
an evening of discussion and fellowship. The strength of
our faculty lies in the relationships we have with each
other and our trainees, present and future. Women in
Surgery allows us to expand and strengthen these relationships,
building our faculty at the grassroots level.
Please join us.
Melinda Musgrave
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