Voices of Women in Medicine

In Massachusetts, women make up about 40 percent of board-certified physicians and 47 percent of new medical graduates—and that’s just one way to measure the role of women physicians in the lives of millions of patients across the Commonwealth.

But despite women’s inroads in medical practice, research, and health education and innovation, many challenges remain. With those challenges come opportunities—for growth, mentorship, administrative change, entrepreneurship, and more.

Women in Medicine Month honors the women who overcome barriers each day in the practice of medicine, and celebrates those who are implementing systemic improvements in health care delivery and practice.

On these pages, you can find the quotes, images, and videos of some MMS members who are making a difference. To add your own observations and stories, follow the MMS on Facebook and Twitter.

Interested in bringing your voice to the MMS membership? Click here to learn how you can join.

• What’s Working for Women in Medicine—and What’s Not
  Women’s clinical excellence is assured, yet equal rewards are elusive—but radical evolution in health care delivery may create opportunities to fix that.
  

• Mentors in Medicine: These Career Strategies are Making It Work
  What these women would say if they were mentoring you.
  

• Work-Life Tension: Navigating Medical Practice and Parenthood      
  Systemic professional challenges remain, but to some extent parents can work within and around them.
  

• Why Join MMS? How the Society Has Your Back
  Community, advocacy, practice support, continuing medical education, the New England Journal of Medicine, and more.
  

• What Does Burnout Have to Do with Gender?  
  Is medicine tougher for most women than most men? Realistically, yes. Here’s what to watch out for, and how some women physicians are handling it.