20 Pieces of Advice for the Next Generation
Guidance from our 20 Years, 20 Leaders interviewees
To celebrate the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation’s 25th anniversary, we want to look back at some of the amazing advice those interviewed for our 20 Years, 20 Lears series shared with us.
We believe that our connection to the experiences of those who came before helps to define not only the present, but the future of medicine. During our conversations, these 20 women leaders in all aspects of medicine shared their stories as well as advice for aspiring women in medicine.
Here are some nuggets of wisdom from these interviews:
1. Learn from—but don’t fixate on—the negative.
Deborah German, MD shares, “everybody has positive and negative experiences in life. Embrace the positive. Learn from the negative—but don’t fixate on the negative. Look at the negative as a gift, not an obstacle.”
2. Never let your fellow women down.
Julia A. Haller, MD tells us, “it’s more challenging as time goes on because some of the pioneering spirit is inevitably lost as more and more women enter medicine. I’m motivated to never let my fellow women down and I believe in instilling that spirit in the next generation. ”
3. Never forget the past.
Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD gives the following advice: “I don’t think anyone should define us, but we should never forget the past — the women who made it possible for us all to pursue this healing craft of medicine.”
4. Become a role model.
Andrea Baldeck, MD says, “it’s increasingly important for women to reach levels of prominence in academia to provide more role models for women coming up through the ranks. There are many more women enrolled in medical school, yet their reach in academia and research is still relatively small. Women are needed to populate those upper echelons and reshape those models of success.”
5. Make sure you have a seat at the table.
Ellen Stang, MD shares, “make sure you lean in and have a seat at the table. The sky's the limit with your career. Strive for leadership roles, make sure your voice is heard, and consider starting a business or becoming a senior executive or CEO of a hospital system.”
6. Get in a position that influences policy.
Carol Cooperman Nadelson, MD provides the following insight: “Women have become the work horses of medicine, gravitating towards primary care, pediatrics, and psychiatry, areas that pay the least. I would like to see more women in positions that influence policy, who can make a difference in the way physicians are valued, rewarded, and compensated.”
7. Make the world a healthier place to live in.
Janette Nesheiwat, MD believes the next generation should “create more technology, advance research, help eradicate cancer and other diseases, and make this world a healthier place to live in.”
8. Pursue balance.
Vonda J. Wright, MD says, “learn as much as possible—especially as it relates to technology and digital care—and pursue balance. Understand the push and pull between work and home life, and the times you just need to gut things out. Take steps toward seeking out your own mentors, sponsors, and champions, and don’t be phased or intimidated to ask for what you want and need.”
9. Be prepared to prove yourself.
Katerina Gallus, MD urges aspiring women in medicine to “be prepared to prove yourself and learn from others. I myself filled that gap later in my career by forging strong relationships with women who are both older and younger.”
10. Don’t put your life on hold.
Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD tells us, “don’t believe the dominant narrative that when you go into medicine, you have to give up everything. Don’t put your lives on hold as you go through medical training; continue to foster the traits and activities that make you feel most like yourself.”
11. Go where there is no path.
Natalie D. Muth, MD cites her favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
12. Help each other rise.
Sophia Yen, MD shares, “sit at the table. Speak up. Echo your fellow women’s words if they aren’t being heard in a meeting. Help each other rise.”
13. Have confidence in yourself.
Sherry Blumenthal, MD gives the following advice: “Have confidence in yourself and your abilities. That will equip you to advocate for equal wages and advocate for equal leadership positions. “
14. Grab the opportunity.
Redonda Miller, MD wants the next generation to know, “do not be afraid to take risks, to step up, or to apply for that next position. There is never going to be a right time. Just grab the opportunity and continue to learn on the job.”
15. Find your passion.
Eve Higginbotham, MD has the following words for aspiring women in medicine: “Find your passion. Be confident in your skills. Know that you would not have come this far if you did not have what it takes to succeed. Own that and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
16. Learn to promote yourself.
Connie Newman, MD states, “it’s important for women to speak up about what they want in their careers. Learn to promote yourself, develop the one sentence speech about your accomplishments that you can use in an elevator when you meet the chair of your department.”
17. Embrace your uniqueness.
Farzanna S. Haffizulla, MD believes “the next generation of women will help to redefine medicine and what it means to be a physician. Strongly support each other and continue the tireless efforts and momentum started by many trailblazing leaders before you. Embrace your uniqueness, passions, and compassion as you fearlessly forge ahead in your future in medicine, science, and health care.”
18. Carry on the struggle.
June Jackson Christmas, MD puts it simply: “Let us carry on the struggle. Because there still is a struggle.”
19. Don’t be in a hurry.
Wafaa El-Sadr, MD says, “go with your passion. Be determined. Build partnerships and friendships. Don’t be in a hurry. You can learn so much by taking professional risks rather than sticking to the well-trodden path. “
20. Be assertive.
Last but not least, Katherine Sherif, MD shares, “be assertive—and actively support each other. Don’t let male leadership (or their enablers) turn you into an ‘exception.’”
Want to read more from the series? You can access all of these interviews here.