VCU Women in Medicine program receives national award

By Joe Kuttenkuler

RICHMOND, Va. – Recognized for its outstanding contributions in developing women leaders in academic medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Women in Medicine Program has received the 2000 Women in Medicine Leadership Development Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The award was presented during the AAMC’s annual Women Liaison Officers and Academic Chairs’ caucus in Chicago last month.

This marks only the third time the AAMC has given the award – typically reserved for individual recognition – to an institutional organization.

"VCU is ahead of the curve in terms of recognizing the importance of professionally developing women and bringing them into the academic fold. This award truly reflects our commitment to that process," said H.H. Newsome Jr., M.D., dean of the School of Medicine who nominated the program. "Few academic medical centers have achieved what ours has in developing such a positive climate of professional development for women as well as men."

Founded in 1992, the Women in Medicine Program is a multifaceted organization in the School of Medicine. With its own governance structure – the Women in Medicine Faculty Organization – and collateral groups including the Committee on the Status of Women and Minorities, the Women in Medicine Student Organization and the Office of Faculty and Institutional Development, the program has been a catalyst for recruiting and developing women in the academic arena.

"This recognition will not only help us recruit women for top-level positions, but it says to everyone that this is an environment that nurtures women and helps them achieve their full potential," said Carol Hampton, associate dean of faculty and instructional development.

Wendy Klein, M.D., who specializes in women’s health care, has watched the Women in Medicine Program flourish. She was the first president of the Women in Medicine Faculty Organization and said the success of the program is based largely on collaboration.

"The leadership in the medical school has worked very hard with our women faculty to transcend gender inequities in academic medicine. Seeing how the program has matured from our initial vision is very fulfilling."

One of the signature annual events hosted by the Women in Medicine Faculty Organization is the "Pathways to Leadership" conference, now in its ninth year. The national conference, which includes representatives from the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School, brings together women health professionals from across the country to discuss issues affecting women in all areas of health care.

According to Newsome, the Women in Medicine Program reflects VCU’s tradition of diversity. "This year, 53 percent of our freshman medical school class are women. I believe that figure is due in no small part to the fact that the word on the street is our institution is a place that values women."

In his letter to VCU announcing the award, Jordan Cohen, M.D., AAMC president wrote: "Your organization clearly has distinguished itself with its institutional commitment to helping women realize their potential and to improving the environment for women in academic medicine."

Nominations for the award were open to the entire academic medical community.

Winners were judged based on individual or organizational achievement in improving the educational and professional environment for women in medicine; enhancing the development of women faculty; and nurturing students in their academic career development.

Previous institutional award winners are the University of Southern California’s Medical Faculty Women’s Association in 1995 and the University of Arkansas College of Medicine Women’s Faculty Development Caucus in 1997.

The AAMC is a non-profit association founded in 1876 to work for reform in medical education.