WPC Liaison Profile

Cindy Go, M.D., Ph.D.
Specialty: Otolaryngology
Location: Chicago, Ill
Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) WPC liaison

Brief description of your current work situation:
I am currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Illinois, Chicago. I oversee the outpatient ENT clinic or the operating room at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center one day a week, teaching residents and caring for Veteran patients.

What lead you to be involved in your state or specialty society?
I was experiencing many of the challenges that women physicians face and realized as I talked to other women physicians in my community that they were going through the same things. There seemed to be no organized group that I knew about that could facilitate a good exchange of information and resources that could benefit us all. I found out about the AMA-WPC through internet research and wanted to get involved to help start a resource for women in Illinois. I noticed that my state did not have a liaison and contacted my state society to see if I could be appointed.

Are there successes or challenges unique to your specialty or state that others could learn from? If so, please describe.
I think that one of the challenges we face is trying to find a time that women physicians can come together that doesn't take away too much from their work hours and from their personal/family time. Recently in Illinois, with the help of ISMS, I initiated an e-mail survey of all our women physician members to identify what kind of meeting they would be interested in attending, most likely time they would attend, and what topics they would like to be covered. This survey helped us also identify the geographic locations of the physicians interested in attending so we can plan meetings that would be as convenient as possible. As a result of this survey, I am currently working with the leadership of ISMS to begin planning our first women physicians meeting as well as brainstorm other ideas that could help us serve our women members more effectively.

Does your organization have a women physicians committee or program, or other activities or projects directed especially for women physicians? If so, could you briefly describe your organizations activities or committee. If not what do you see as some of the difficulties with developing these types of activities.
ISMS does not have a women physicians committee, but does have a staff person who is a resource for women physicians. ISMS is very interested in increasing services to its women members and I have been working closely with them to plan our first women physicians meeting in the fall of 2007. We are also trying to reach out to our women members with an e-newsletter as well as keeping them informed about legislative issues that are particularly pertinent to women.

As a WPC liaison what types of resources and opportunities would you like to see the WPC provide?
I would like the WPC provide better networking opportunities between the state liaisons so that we are able to share ideas that have worked and failed in our respective states. I would also like to see the WPC start a discussion board for its members so that we can dialogue with each other about issues that we face as women physicians and also be able to network for ideas/contacts with job sharing, child care, part-time work strategies, etc.