Dean’s Standing Committee on Issues of Women Faculty

Prior Reports >>

Report for September 2003 – July 2005

MEMBERS

Chair:  Christina Surawicz, MD 
David Acosta, Asst. Dean of Multicultural Affairs
Donna Ambrozy, PhD, Medical Education and Bioinformatics
Sandra Bajjalieh, PhD, Pharmacology
Diana Cardenas, MD, Rehabilitation Medicine
Jana K. Cole, MD, Surgery
David Eschenbach, MD, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Kelly Fryer-Edwards, PhD, Medical History and Ethics
Gwen A. Garden, MD, Neurology
Hunter Handsfield, MD, Medicine/Infectious Diseases
Deborah Kartin, PhD, PT, Rehabilitation Medicine
Charlotte Lewis, MD, Pediatrics
Sheila A. Lukehart, PhD, Asst. Dean  for Research, HMC
Jane L. Miller, MD, Urology
Carin M. Olson, MD, Medicine/Emergency Medicine
Eric J. Stern, MD, Radiology/Medicine
Nancy G. Stevens, MD, Epidemiology/Family Medicine
Alan Weiner, PhD, Biochemistry
Emily Wong, MD, Medicine
Amanda Schivell, PhD, Genome Sciences

Activities

I. Leadership Development

The School of Medicine has sponsored women to attend a variety of leadership development courses for many years.

A. AAMC Leadership Programs

Since 1996, the Dean of the School of Medicine has sponsored women faculty to attend the AAMC Early Career and Mid Career Faculty Development Courses for women.  Since 1993, 31 women have attended the Early Career Management, and 32 have attended the Mid Career program.  Applicants have been evaluated and selected by this Committee. Recent attendees were:

• 2004 – AAMC Early Career – Lisa Taitsman (Orthopedics) and Theresa Nestor (Laboratory Medicine)
• 2004 Mid Career AAMC Program – Nancy Sugg, MD, Lynn Schnapp, MD (both Medicine) and Karen McMurry (Pediatrics)
• 2005, Claire Yang (Urology) and Jane Hitti (OB/Gyn).

The Committee has been impressed with the large number of qualified applicants for these programs, and developed selection criteria to include evidence of leadership skills and ability, and likelihood that attendees will bring back knowledge and skills to share with others unable to attend Information on the programs is available on the AAMC web site (aamc.org, look under meetings).  Because these meetings are so valuable, local equivalents have been developed (see Faculty Development Seminars).

B.   Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM)

Six women have graduated from the ELAM program they are: Drs. Lorrie Langdale (Surgery), Chris Abrass, Catherine Otto and Virginia Broudy (Medicine), Dr. Soo Borson (Professor, Psychiatry) and Lee Nelson (Medicine, Rheumatology at FHCRC).   

C. Leadership Program  

A leadership program was launched in February 2005 by Chris Surawicz, Emily Wong and Jessie Garcia; this 2 year pilot consists of 30 faculty from 23 departments.  In addition to skill building, the group has formed sub groups to work on school-wide issues.

II.    Faculty Development Seminars,  March 25, 26, 2004 and March 29, 30, 2005 at the Urban Horticulture Center. 

This is the 8th year this program has been offered.   The Committee is committed to continue this yearly program in recognition of the need for local programs to emulate those given nationally, such as the AAMC programs; the 2005 2 day program was organized by Donna Ambrozy, Eric Stern and Chris Surawicz.  Topics included self management skills, writing workshop, mentoring, work/life balance and an overview of School of Medicine finances.

III.  UW Center of Excellence (CoE) Mentoring Award

The UW CoE has been fortunate in receiving a small private donation in order to fund the UW SOM Excellence in Mentoring of Women Award.  This award is given to a faculty member annually for excellence in mentoring women and minority faculty.   The Award Advisory Committee developed criteria for nomination and selection Committee Members are:   Carlos Pellegrini, Henry Rosen, Marge Anderson, Andy Ziskind, Wylie Burke, Christina Surawicz, Alan Weiner, PhD, and Emily Wong, MD.    In 2003 Nora Disis, MD (Department of Medicine) was selected as the first recipient. The 2004 winner was Ed Boyko, MD, Department of Medicine.  Each winner receives a plaque and gift certificate to the University Bookstore.  Nominees  attend the annual “Mentoring Lunch” with Dean Ramsey; the award is presented at the MSEC.  Newsletter interview with award winners are also planned.  A plaque commemorating the award winners will be placed in the Health Science lobby. 

IV.   On Line Faculty Newsletter/Faculty Development Website

As the Committee’s membership sought to grapple with the UW SoM faculty’s diverse interests and geographic locations, we realized that time has become our most precious commodity.  The web seemed to be the best way to explore more efficient ways to foster internal mentoring and advising and to learn about each other. The first issue appeared in May 2001, with an introduction by Chris Surawicz and Dean Ramsey.   Each issue has contained, material on mentoring, including a feature on individual departments and their web pages and a focus on individual junior and senior faculty members. 

Recent topics include time management, faculty interviews, book reports and updates from leadership programs.  Past issues are on the CoE website (http://www.uwwomenshealth.org).    Last year, Carin Olson, MD has assumed editor duties.  She is an Associate Professor of Medicine who works in the Emergency Department at UWMC; Carin has extensive experience in editing, having served as an associated editor for JAMA for many years. The latest issue of the newsletter will appear on the New Faculty Development website, which is in preparation.

V.   Outreach to Medical and Graduate Students

The Committee hosted an interactive reception for medical and graduate students,  April 26, 2005, organized by Gwen Garden, MD and Sandy Bajjalieh, PhD.   There was a panel and table topics:  1) women’s health research, 2) mentoring, 3) two academic career families, 4) women in male dominated specialties, 5) Housestaff/residency issues 6) research opportunities (for students and residents looking to work with women faculty), and 7) managing life; family, finances and timelines.

VI.  Gender Salary Equity Survey

This ongoing process began in 201 and is currently conducted by a three person team:  Chris Surawicz (Committee Chair), Stacy Fauchald (Manager, Faculty Compensation, Administration and Finance) and Bar Van Ess (Director of Personnel Policy and Faculty Administration, Dean's Office, School of Medicine)  who meet with department chairs and administration regularly (initially each department every other year, now every 3 years) to review all faculty salaries with respect to gender, degree, rank and years in rank to assure equity.  No systemic gender bias was detected, but some salaries have been adjusted. 

VII.  Book Club

This informal group has met quarterly at faculty homes and alternately at hospital sites over lunch hour – all are invited, including residents and fellows. Books that explore a greater understanding of gender issues in society are chosen.  Last year the consensus was a return to faculty homes.  Chris Surawicz hosted a group discussion of “The Medical Marriage” by Wayne & Mary Sotile, and a later discussion of “This Side of Doctoring” by Eliza LoChin.

Contact Bessie Young at youngb@u.washington.edu to be added to the e-mail list.

VIII.  Local Legends Awards

A National Library of Medicine and American Medical Women’s Association project to identify women who have made significant local contributions. The Committee nominated 3 women, who were chosen, for the2004 award: Wylie Burke MD, PhD, Ann Collier, MD, and Bonnie Ramsey, MD. 

IX. Guests Who Have Reported to the Committee

 Advance program ( a School of Engineering NSF grant to promote women in science and engineering (Eve Riskin), Puget Sound Women’s Pediatric Society (Ellie Graham).

X.   Liaisons with other committees

  PACW (President Advisory Committee on Women) Faculty Senate Committee on Women

XI.     Upcoming Projects

A working group has been developed to address concerns of faculty family leaves, with respect to financial implications, promotion and productivity and impact on other faculty. 

Committee members are:  Chris Surawicz, Emily Wong, David Eschenbach, Nancy Stevens, Barbara Van Ess, Farel McClure and Kathleen Sellick

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