WELCOME to the home page of the Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) organization for the University of Kansas School of Medicine (SOM). I hope that the few minutes you take to explore this site will provide valuable information on how WIMS may help you achieve your academic and personal goals.
Academic Medicine truly encompasses 4 missions: patient care, research, teaching, and leadership. Trying to do a great job in most or all of these areas and maintain a self for your personal life is not only exhausting but difficult without mentorship, strong support from a network of colleagues, family, and friends. It is discouraging but understandable that the national data shows the average career of women in academic medicine is only about 10 years. Unless we can achieve career development, faculty retention, and avoid career burn-out, we may not be realizing our career potential. As of July, 2010 in our SOM, there are 211 women faculty here, with 24 professors, 41 associate professors, and 135 assistant professors. Forty more women are expected to join the faculty this fall.
The mission and goals of WIMS are to develop programs to enhance mentoring, networking, and recognition of faculty members. In addition, WIMS aims to be a key resource for our women faculty regarding their individual career development. As the President, I am working with the Executive Council as well as members of various committees to achieve these goals. One key commitment by this organization is the annual scholarship for 4 women faculty (2 basic science and 2 clinical faculty), to attend the AAMC Early and the Mid-Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminars. It is our intent to send two women to each seminar every year. (View past KU WIMS attendees and learn more about or to apply for the the KU WIMS Scholarship) Such seminars provide an amazing experience of fellowship with other women faculty across the nation who may share in the frustrations and struggles of trying to achieve better life balance and gain leadership skills and positions.
As you explore this web site, you will gain knowledge of KU School of Medicine resources available for career development. One outstanding example is a formal mentoring program developed by the Department of Internal Medicine for Junior Faculty Members. This past August over 180 women from our SON, SAH, SOM, and other areas attended the first annual WIMS “Building Career Success in Medicine and Science” conference. Based on the comments and positive feedback, WIMS along with the support of Dr. Susan Pingleton, our Joy McCann Professor of Women in Medicine and Science, will continue to sponsor events focused on career advancement as well as personal well-being and career satisfaction. Please explore the AAMC information on women and promotion plus a bibliography or library of resources on our WIMS web site for great articles regarding the history of women in medicine as well as leadership related topics.
Whether you are a new faculty member or senior faculty member, I hope that you will participate and contribute to our organization. Participate in our events, because if all we wanted was simply to provide good patient care, we would not have chosen academic medicine. It is the energy that we individually invest into ourselves and each other that can expedite academic career development. Visit this web site often to see announcements of all upcoming events, and encourage your colleagues to do the same. For any questions regarding WIMS please contact me at jwei@kumc.edu or Marty McLaughlin at mmclaughlin@kumc.edu. We look forward to serving you.
Sincerely,
President, WIMS, Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology
Introduced as the new president of Women in Medicine & Science (WIMS) at KU Medical Center by Barbara Atkinson, MD, Executive Dean, KU School of Medicine, at a reception on April 14, 2010. Dr. Wei spoke about her past and her vision for the organization following the introduction. (Slides) (Reception Photo Album)
If you are new to WIMS or interested in finding out what the organization is all about, you are welcome to one of the informational lunches established for this purpose. Contact us today to express your interest in attending on a 3rd Thursday of any month, Lunch with Julie
11.8.2010
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The University of Kansas Medical Center