Strength in numbers: Groups at Wayne Medicine for Women in Medicine – School of Medicine News

Medical students regularly volunteer at the YWCA Interim House in Detroit, the only domestic violence shelter in the city.

Every September, the Women Physicians Section of the American Medical Association celebrates Women in Medicine Month by honoring doctors who have offered their time, wisdom, and support to advancing women with medical careers. Wayne State University School of Medicine is home to countless outstanding women in medicine and science – doctors, teachers, researchers, mentors, and more. It is also home to several programs and organizations founded with the intent to support and improve the health, leadership, and education of women. While this is not an exhaustive list, here are just a few organizations and stakeholders focused on helping women in medicine.

Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) was founded in 2008 and is committed to advancing women at all career levels in academic medicine and science by addressing gender equality, recruitment and retention, awards and recognition, work-life -Balance and career advancement deals. WIMS organizes events that are open to all interested lecturers, employees and students of academic medicine and science. Several members of WIMS worked together to publish a study in February, entitled Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Physician Moms, in the journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. The study used social media and an online survey to collect the personal and professional experiences of 2,709 medical mothers during the coronavirus pandemic of Sept.

The School of Medicine also has a new student organization dedicated to medical students who are juggling another full-time job at home – being a mom. Moms in Medicine was founded earlier this year by class 2024 medical student Zahra Alburkat.

Similarly, the American Medical Women’s Association is an organization of doctors, medical students, and other individuals dedicated to serving as a unique voice for women’s health and the advancement of women in medicine. “As a student organization at Wayne State University School of Medicine, we are working to provide mentoring opportunities not only to the women in our school, but also to women in our local community,” said medical student and member Dana LaBuda.

This year, AMWA partnered with the YWCA Interim House of Detroit, the only domestic violence shelter in the city of Detroit.

“As an organization, we have helped provide childcare for the shelter residents, donations of food, water and hygiene products, and will soon be offering spa visits to improve access to medical care at the shelter. We have had more than 50 volunteers in the past two months and have had great support from our medical students, ”added LaBuda.

On September 30, AMWA board member Charlotte Thill will take over the School of Medicine Instagram

Charlotte Thill

Stories (@WayneMedicine) in honor of the last day of September as Women in Medicine Month. Thill, a sophomore medical student, acts as the liaison between AMWA and WIMS, hosting a podcast called From Skirts to Scrubs with girlfriend Alesha Kotian. They use history and current events to navigate what it means to be a woman in the medical field and in her own life.

Thills medical students Kristina Barrientos and Sara Saymuah, both born in 2023, founded the Women in Surgery Interest Group this year in the hope of dispelling myths about women in surgical specialties and providing the WSU School with a network to support and mentor medical students. They also hope to nurture the community and provide insight and networking opportunities for women interested in surgery.

“We hope to dispel myths about women in surgical careers through outreach events, guest speaker series and mentoring,” said Barrientos.

Like women in surgery, the obstetrics and gynecology interest group has set itself the goal of giving medical students access to a specific medical field. They also strive to teach patient advocacy for those who identify as women and those in need of obstetric and gynecological services.

More information about these student organizations can be found at studentaffairs.med.wayne.edu/student-orgs.

For more information on women in medicine and science at the School of Medicine, visit www.med.wayne.edu/wims.

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/25/strength-in-numbers-groups-at-wayne-medicine-for-women-in-medicine-school-of-medicine-news/