The AMA Women Physicians Section (WPS) held its 2026 Education Session and Annual Business meeting on Friday, June 5.
Education session
The WPS education program on Not “Just Hormones”: Reframing and Rethinking Stigma Around Hormonally-Mediated Mood Conditions was presented by Mary Laplante, MD, and Nicole Plenty, MD.
This session explored how hormones affect moods throughout different stages of life. Attendees learned about conditions like premenstrual dysphoric disorder, premenstrual syndrome, postpartum depression, and menopause-related mood changes. The program highlighted ways to support mental well-being, discusses the impact of hormones on emotions, and offered practical strategies for understanding and managing these challenges.
Resolutions
During the business session, the WPS reviewed several items of business before the House of Delegates. They included the following six resolutions authored by the section:
- Resolution 004: Ethical Reproductive Care for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Resolution 106: Insurance Coverage for Scalp Cooling (Cold Capping) Therapy
- Resolution 306: Competency-Based Portfolio Assessment of Medical Students, Interns, Residents, and Fellows
- Resolution 418: Ensuring Access to Full HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Courses for Survivors of Sexual Assault
- Resolution 419: Examining the Impact of Circadian Disruption from Shift Work During Pregnancy
- Resolution 420: Expanding Support for Women Experiencing Homelessness
WPS business
The WPS GRROWL (Growing the Representation and Reach of Women Leaders) committee hosted a speed mentoring event. The topics included:
- Having challenging patient conversations
- How to rebut Dr. Google/Dr. TikTok/Dr. ChatGPT
- Career transitions
- Saying “yes” to yourself by saying “no”
- Communication via social media
- Leading a team
At the end of the meeting, the WPS chair announced that the Joan F. Giambalvo Fund for the Advancement of Women application form will be posted soon and is due July 15. Also, the Inspiration Award nomination form will be posted soon and is due July 31. If you are interested in joining the WPS Policymaking committee, please express your interest via email by July 2.
Lastly, the WPS elected Tiffani L. Bell Washington, MD, MBA, MPH, as chair.
For additional information on the 2026 Annual WPS meeting, visit the section's agenda and resources page.
