VCU news

By Eric Peters

Women in science, dentistry and medicine are creating their own paths to leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University and it helps that they have WISDM.

WISDM – the VCU Women in Science, Dentistry and Medicine faculty organization – hosted its 22nd annual WISDM Leadership Conference on April 25, featuring open discussions, workshops and keynote speaker Kevin Grigsby, D.S.W., senior director of member organizations development for the Association of American Medical Colleges.

More than 100 faculty and staff from VCU and the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center participated in the conference, which this year carried the theme “Creating Your Own Path to Leadership.”

“Everyone at the institution takes some leadership role, whether it is running a meeting, participating in committees or being part of a focus group,” said Julie Mayglothling, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine in the VCU School of Medicine and WISDM faculty organization president.  “This conference was developed to assist participants in developing their leadership skills in all of these areas and more.”

Grigsby presented on “leading from the middle,” emphasizing the potential of those at all levels of an organization to make and affect real change. Those who are not in official positions of leadership, he said, actually can do better in creating change because they can have a better understanding of the health of the organization.

WISDM and those in attendance then honored three women who have forged paths to leadership for themselves and now help others do the same. The annual WISDM Professional Achievement Awards – a highlight of the conference every year – were presented to Michelle McGregor, Cathy Bradley, Ph.D., and PonJola Coney, M.D.

The awards recognize those women who have served as strong role models and mentors for the professional development of women faculty and who consistently demonstrate excellence in mentoring, scholarship, leadership and teaching.

David Sarrett, D.M.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry, introduced McGregor, who joined the School of Dentistry faculty as an adjunct clinical instructor in 2005 and became a full-time instructor in 2008. She is now director of the school’s dental hygiene program.

“I’ve known many of the [WISDM Professional Achievement Awards] recipients from the past and they have all been mentors to me, and to look at the bios of everybody, to even be mentioned with that group of women is very overwhelming,” she said. “I saw [VCU] provost [Beverly] Warren speak once on leadership and about always going through open doors and not being afraid. I don’t think I’ve ever been afraid, but some of you in this room have been instrumental in opening those doors for me, so for that I’m very grateful.”

Bradley is founding chair of the Department of Healthcare Policy and Research in the VCU School of Medicine.

“She exemplifies a triple threat with regard to research, education and scholarship,” Mayglothling said. “The thing that stood out to us most in her application was that every single person who wrote a letter of support talked about her support of their careers.”

Jerome Strauss, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine, commended the selection committee, saying Bradley and Coney “are the best the School of Medicine has to offer.”

Coney is senior associate dean for faculty affairs, which Strauss said is the most important position in the School of Medicine.

“This is the individual who cultivates faculty, helps them along and increases the reach of our institution because of her wonderful work in terms of developing our young physicians and our young scientists in terms of their capacity to lead,” he said.

Strauss also highlighted that Coney was the first female African-American dean of an American medical school and that she is a national leader in health disparities and reproductive health.

“While I’m very proud of the accomplishments that I’ve made professionally, I take greater pride in any contributions I have made to make someone’s life better,” Coney said.  “Particularly my patients, my students, my staff and, of course, my faculty.”

The final portion of the awards presentation included recognition of the support the WISDM organization has received over the years from Sarrett, Strauss, Julie Beales, M.D., interim chief of staff at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, and Sheldon Retchin, M.D., CEO of VCU Health System and senior vice president for health sciences at VCU.

“The support this conference gets from the VCU health system, the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry and the VA really makes it possible,” Mayglothling said.

Following the awards and recognitions, participants attended workshops such as The Power of a Positive No, Critical Conversations on Leadership, Professional Learning Networks and Social Media, and Roadmap for Promotion and Leadership.

 

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