Happy International Women’s Day! What’s a hopeful sign that gender equality is making progress?

Dr. Jared Rubenstein, Texas Children's Hospital

The news out of OHSU this week has made it tough to reflect on where we are with gender equity in medicine. We’ve come far, but have SO far to go. It’s been heartbreaking to contemplate the daily realities of my female colleagues.

What does give me hope is that light is being shined into the darkness. The collective outrage and increased focus make me feel like there is some drive for systemic change.

I’ve had the good fortune with train with and work for incredible female leaders and mentors in medicine like @TKpedspc and @geetasinghal9 and I’m the doctor I am in large part because of them.

But until we have true equity in terms of national presence in leadership, salary, and freedom from harassment at work, we’ve still got a ways to go.

That being said, I’m still hopeful for change. And hoping I can be part of the solution.

Dr. Ambereen Mehta, Johns Hopkins Medicine

That women in #PalliativeCare leadership of fellowship programs, peer-reviewed journals, and national professional organizations are more equally represented! Still work to be done in other areas, but it’s a start!

Dr. Shara Nauth, Toronto, Ontario

Geriatrics inspires me with its incredible women all the time. I’ve seen more and more female PDs, department heads, and regional leaders in the recent years!

Michelle Gyenes, med student, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

The fact that over half my med school classmates are women!

Dr. Megan Gerber

The fact that I don’t have a ready answer to this question is concerning. I will say that I love movements like #METOO and #TimesUp , as well as validation and awareness of toxicity of culture and #microagressions,  which years ago were totally ignored. But there’s much work to do. 

Dr. Mariah Robertson, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Between Tulane last month and Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day starting with the story of yet another woman in academia being silenced when she reports sexual assault, it feels exhausting. I know there are lots of signs that equality is making progress, but this week it feels hard to see.

Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen, Florida Atlantic University

I feel conflicted about this. I recently asked a third year med student if she’s experienced any negativity around wanting to be a surgeon. She said no – yay! But she also said she fears it’s inevitable. On the plus side, she has many female surgeon role models.

Dr. Chase Anderson, UCSF

The women I know in my life and have met on Twitter!

Dr. Colleen Christmas, Johns Hopkins Medicine

I’m struggling to reply to this question. There are scraps, but I have to be in a certain mood to appreciate scraps.

Aidan Crowley, pre-med, Notre Dame

The work of amazing woman leaders such as @DrBurkeHarris and @RheaBoydMD!

Dr. Jeff Millstein, Penn Medicine

Inspired by my geriatrics role models @CchristmColleen, @MLRobertsonMD and, @jesscolburn!

Dr. Claire Crawford, Texas

I’m inspired daily by our female #PedPC section chief @TKpedspc.

Dr. Jennifer Hartmark-Hill, University of Arizona

Top journals such as NEJM, The Lancet, and Academic Medicine are increasingly publishing research and Op-Eds spotlighting disparities, raising awareness and empowering critical dialogue around solutions-based next steps.

In the past year, Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the NIH, has led significant and sweeping reforms to root out both gender inequities and systemic racism in the peer-review and grant funding processes.

Initiatives such as these, in parallel with precedence set by position papers on “Achieving gender equity in physician compensation and career advancement” by the American College of Physicians, empower women physicians and scientist to negotiate for equity in the workplace and to pave the way for future generations of women.