Pending MMS Board of Trustees Approval
Title of Committee: Committee on Women in Medicine
Committee Purpose or Mission: The purpose of the Committee on Women in Medicine is to identify and address issues of particular concern to women physicians, educate colleagues about professional and medical topics of interest to women, foster membership, participation and leadership of women within MMS, and serve as the primary advocate for matters of special importance to women members. Through this work, the Committee on Women in Medicine strengthens the representation of this growing constituency within MMS.
Goal 1: Share clinical and evidence-based practice knowledge in the realm of gender-based medicine, particularly as it relates to women's health.
- Activity 1: Continue to host the Women Physicians Lecture Series, now in its 11th year, with its focus on gender-based medicine and workplace issues of relevance to women in medicine.
- Activity 2: Sponsor a lecture on the controversies in the diagnosis and management of breast disease.
- Activity 3: Sponsor the 8th Annual Women's Cardiac Health Conference with focus on stress management and cardiac emergencies.
- Activity 4: Explore the possibility of sponsoring a CME program on quality of care highlighting the expectations of patients, institutions, society and media.
Goal 2: Advocate for an optimal workplace environment for women physicians that facilitates professional growth and promotes career satisfaction.
- Activity 1: Sponsor the CME program, Women's Leadership Forum: Effective Team Management , to educate women physicians on how to increase their negotiation and strategic communication skills.
- Activity 2: Encourage committee members to review resolutions and reports before each interim and annual MMS meeting, evaluate their relevance for women physicians, encourage testimony and perspectives to ensure that the needs of women physicians are addressed, and draft resolutions as necessary.
- Activity 3: Promote organizational leadership skills of women physicians by providing leadership training and resources to women physicians, residents, and students through available mechanisms.
- Activity 4: Continue promotion of PARP Program (Payment, Award, Research, Recognition and Respect, Professionalism).
Goal 3: Develop an effective communication network that enables women physicians to receive and share information relevant to their professional needs and goals.
- Activity 1: Improve communication and outreach with women physicians, residents, and students through the use of internet technology which can provide updated information on the committee's activities, programs, and resources within the organization that are relevant to women physicians.
- Activity 2: Continue to add and promote books of interest to women physicians to The Jolin Leadership Collection at the MMS branch of the Boston Medical Library.
- Activity 3: Explore the possibility of a book club for women physicians.
Goal 4: Foster the active participation and partnership of women physicians in the evolution of the health care system.
- Activity 1: Host a women physician luncheon at the 2012 Interim Meeting to provide an opportunity for women physicians to network and share ideas of interest to women physicians.
- Activity 2: Sponsor the 6th Annual Student Mentoring Evening in partnership with other MMS committees to share with students insights on fulfilling career paths in the current practice environment.
- Activity 3: Encourage and provide training for women physicians to write resolutions and testify at the MMS House of Delegates.
- Activity 4: Explore the development of a women physician "Peer to Peer Network"..
- Activity 5: Present the "Woman Physician Leadership Award" at the Women's Leadership Forum for recognition of outstanding leadership and professional contributions.
