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September is Women in Medicine Month
Each September the AMA commemorates Women in Medicine Month to celebrate the growing number and influence of women physicians in the profession and their communities.
“Building Bridges through Mentoring,” was the theme of 2008's celebration. It highlighted the ways women physicians are shaping the future of medicine by extending a hand to medical students and colleagues as a mentor.
As part of September is Women in Medicine Month, the WPC honored those physicians selected to receive recognition for their mentoring efforts through the AMA-WPC Physician Recognition Program. This program is designed to acknowledge those physicians who contribute in small, often unsung ways to the success of women physicians. It is a way for physicians to say thanks to individuals who steered them into the specialty they love, helped them find work/life balance, guided them through a professional society or unknowingly served as a role model. In the month of September, a listing of physicians being honored was posted on the AMA-WPC Physician Mentor Recognition Program.
Many of the physicians honored in this year's AMA-WPC Physician Mentor Recognition Program have shared their thoughts on leadership and mentoring such as the quote below:
"Even though women physicians are achieving parity in terms of numbers, we are still struggling to establish ourselves in positions of power and influence within the US medical establishment. It is absolutely imperative that women in top leadership positions reach out to other women physicians and students, mentoring them so that their leadership skills develop and they feel empowered to voice their opinions and compete for leadership posts.
"But as well as learning to work the system, we need to transform the institution of medicine into a more welcoming occupation that allows for greater work-life balance. We don't want to break through the glass ceiling only to find ourselves in a rubber room or isolation chamber."
-American Medical Women's Association President, Claudia Morrissey, MD
View additional quotes on mentoring and leadership from physicians (PDF, 279KB). View quotes on leadership and mentoring from the AMA-WPC Governing Council (PDF, 203KB).
This year’s theme also acknowledges the many other ways women physicians are building bridges in the health care profession by undertaking leadership roles in their communities and organized medicine, reaching out and advocating for those in need of health care, pursuing research on women’s health issues and much more.
As the number and influence of women physicians in the US continues to grow, it is essential that women physicians and medical students are fully involved in the membership and leadership of the AMA and throughout organized medicine. It is through the diverse perspectives and efforts of all physicians that we can most effectively shape the future of medicine by making our voices heard regarding national health policy and being an advocate for medical education, clinical practice, scientific research, critical patient care and other professional issues.
Note: The 2008 theme was inspired by Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD,’s inauguration speech in June 2008, Designing America’s Bridge, given when she became the 163rd president of the AMA and the second woman to hold this elected office.
Women in Medicine Month materials:
2008 Women in Medicine Month Planning Guide (PDF, 45KB)
Other resources and ideas for celebrating September is Women in Medicine Month:
- Become an AMA member, when you join the AMA, you join with other physicians in one strong national voice.
- If you are already an AMA member, recruit a member by taking part in the Physician Outreach Program.
- Find out about the many ways you can take part in advocacy efforts related to issues in medicine today.
- View a Women in Medicine Timeline (PDF, 1MB) and find out about the contributions of women physicians.
- View a Women in Medicine Power Point presentation (PowerPoint, 186KB) A presentation with pictures is available by sending a request to wpc@ama-assn.org.
10 Ways to Be Involved in WIM Month
Describes ways to be involved in organized medicineTips for planning a WIM Month event
Provides tips and information for planning a WIM month event.Content provided by: