Giving residents the tools to succeed

Women residents and fellows – and one brave male – got a dose of sobering statistics as well as practical advice on how to thrive, not just survive, in medicine in the first Wonder Women in Medicine workshop on Sept. 21. 

The Women Scholars Initiative and the Advancement, Recruitment and Retention of Women in Science (ARROWS) program sponsored the workshop. Diann Krywko, M.D., professor of emergency medicine and department director of personal and professional wellness and development, hopes it becomes an annual event. There are hundreds of residents and fellows on campus, and they need focused guidance on how to develop their careers, she said. It’s something she wishes she had gotten early in her career. Although she geared the workshop to women’s issues, it was open to all. 

David Gutman, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesia and perioperative medicine, and Lidia Yamada, M.D., assistant professor of neurology, co-chaired the workshop and made presentations about opportunity justice and the imposter syndrome. Stephanie Whitener, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesia and perioperative medicine, spoke about finding mentors and Leigh Vaughan, M.D., program director of hospice and palliative medicine, spoke about getting through difficult conversations. 

There are certainly external barriers to women’s success – Krywko pointed to a 2016 study showing that women in academic medicine made $19,878 less than men after adjusting for age, experience, faculty rank, research productivity and clinical revenue. Overt sexism, subtle discrimination, childcare issues and parental leave issues can derail women’s careers. 

Krywko also talked about internal barriers. Women can be more likely to lack confidence, have decreased expectations, and have more childcare and housework responsibilities. They are also more likely to compromise their goals for future husbands and children – even when those people don’t even exist yet.

Krywko confessed to her own insecurities that have held her back. 

“In my early career, I was happy sitting at clinical instructor, then assistant professor, muddling my way through. It wasn’t until my late career when I saw my friends settling that I realized I might be settling, and I was capable of doing more,” she said. 

She was promoted to professor in 2018 when she finally decided to seek promotion. As she gathered her materials, she realized she had long ago met the criteria. 

She also urged women to be supportive of one another. Gender makes likeability difficult – studies have shown that people interpret the same attributes positively in men and but negatively in women. 

“We don’t like other women who are succeeding. And that is really hard to swallow,” she said. 

Don’t hate someone because they’re successful, she said. Instead, figure out why they’re successful and try to emulate them. 

“Everyone loves a cat fight. Don’t give it to them,” she said. 

Andrea Abbott, M.D., assistant professor of surgery, told women to stop using the word “sorry” as a throwaway word when not actually apologizing for something that is their fault. For example, in a disagreement with a colleague, saying something like “I’m sorry, I don’t agree with you” simply diminishes your own opinion, she said. 

“You don’t need to apologize for having an opinion.” 

Similarly, she added, it’s unnecessary to apologize when asking people to do their jobs, whether it’s asking someone to write a prescription or to hand over an instrument during surgery. 

Like Krywko, she said women must empower each other as strong leaders rather than regarding one another as threats. 

“If you see another woman leading a room, asking for things she needs, being authoritative – please, I beg you, don’t say, ‘Oh, she’s so rude.’ Don’t talk about her behind her back. Until we as women change the culture, we won’t see a resolution,” Abbott said.

Barbara Head, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, spoke about work-life balance. A doctor, wife and mother of four, she said that each day won’t necessarily be perfectly balanced. She encouraged the residents to use their annual leave, whether it’s a single day to attend a child’s school event or a block of time for a vacation.

“Balance is not something you can find; it’s something you have to create for yourself,” she said. 

Annual leave is something that workers have earned, and they shouldn’t feel guilty for using it, she said. 

“Part of it is advocating for one another – not just giving yourself a break but giving the people around you a break. Not having that judgment of ‘Why are they gone?’ If you have the time to take off, you should take the time off,” Head said.