By Alia Richardson, Andrea Gomez, Danielle Gaskin and Jasmine Rios
On Sunday, May 21st, the Pritzker School of Medicine Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) hosted the 7th Annual Black and Latina Women in Medicine Forum (BLWiM): “Together We Thrive.” Fifty-four Chicagoland premedical students, medical students, and physicians gathered together on the University of Chicago campus to build community and discuss the unique experiences of women physicians who share these intersectional identities. The planning committee led by Alia Richardson, Co-Vice President of SNMA, and Andrea Gomez, President of LMSA, included Zharia Crisp, Alexandra Diaz-Barbe, Chineze Egwudo, Danielle Gaskin, and Jasmine Rios, all first-year medical students.
The BLWiM Forum initiative was started by Pritzker students in 2017 with the intention of empowering Black and Latina women in medicine at all stages of their careers to cultivate a sense of community and support amongst each other. Black and Latina women face unique barriers in the field of medicine due to underrepresentation and intersectional identities. Furthermore Black and Latinx communities are impacted by structural racism that contributes to healthcare inequities, such as disparities in maternal mortality and differential access to reproductive healthcare. To improve representation and improve the health communities, it is imperative that Black and Latina women in medicine support one another toward thriving in the field of medicine.
This year’s theme, "Together We Thrive" or "Juntos Prosperamos," emphasized how Black and Latina women in medicine can support each other in maintaining their well-being, advocating for themselves and finding fulfillment in their work.
The forum commenced with the keynote address delivered by Dr. Dayle Davenport, the new Associate Dean for Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Pritzker and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Davenport hails from New York City and is the daughter of Grenadian parents who instilled the value of hard work. Dr. Davenport asserted that no person is self-made – rather those very successful ‘outliers’ are the products of a robust community of support. Using her own life as a template, she introduced us to her Board of Directors. Cleverly coined the 7 C’s, the Board of Directors consists of Coaches, Confidants, Champions, Community, Counselor, Collaborators, and Cheerleaders. Dr. Davenport’s board includes a former primary school teacher, her childhood best friends, and her former chief resident in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Keme Carter. Although these individuals appeared at different points in Dr. Davenport’s life and career, each left an indelible imprint that she attributes to her current professional accomplishments. Dr. Davenport encouraged us to identify the people in our lives who fill these board positions and to seek out candidates for any open positions because no one truly succeeds on their own.
The forum continued with a panel discussion featuring Dr. Cynthia Boyd, Dr. Rebecca Garza, Dr. Julia Harris, and Dr. Rochelle Naylor, who shared their experiences as women of color in medicine. The panelists represented various medical settings, providing attendees with diverse insights into career paths as physician-scientists, hospital executives, and private practice owners.
Dr. Boyd, an internist, Chief Compliance Officer, and Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at Rush Medical College, shared about the discrimination she has encountered throughout her career, encouraging attendees to seek support from advocates when faced with insults. Dr. Harris, a family medicine physician affiliated with the University of Chicago, highlighted the rewarding aspects of being a woman of color in medicine; she shared that many patients specifically sought her out as a Black female physician, emphasizing the importance of being a source of connection and familiarity for her patients.
Dr. Naylor, a pediatric endocrinologist and physician-scientist at the University of Chicago, addressed the issue of imposter syndrome. As often the only Black person in the room, she stressed the necessity of her voice at the table advocating on behalf of patients. She also encouraged attendees to pursue opportunities in medicine that nourish the soul, sharing that mentoring nourishes hers. Similarly, Dr. Garza, a plastic surgeon in private practice, echoed the importance of shaping a fulfilling career that brings joy, independent of external pressures. She worked hard to check off the necessary boxes in her career path, but she recalled experiencing more fulfillment when she prioritized making choices that brought her joy.
Overall, the panel discussion provided forum attendees with valuable insights into the experiences of these accomplished Black and Latina women in medicine and offered guidance on navigating challenges and finding fulfillment in their careers.
After a networking lunch, forum attendees participated in a series of small group discussions focusing on three subject areas: Wellness and Balanced Living, Finding Fulfillment in Your Work, and Being Your Best Advocate.
The Wellness and Balanced Living workshops covered topics such as mental health, burnout, starting a family, and maintaining work-life balance. Dr. Lucia Madariaga, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the University of Chicago, shared her personal experience of facing failure as a surgeon and emphasized the importance of relying on a support network to overcome setbacks. Dr. Sonia Oyola, a family medicine physician affiliated with the University of Chicago, spoke about her own work-life balance being a physician, wife, mother, and singer. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing things about which you are passionate. Dr. Alejandra Lastra, a pulmonary and sleep medicine physician at the University of Chicago, agreed with Dr. Oyola that managing work and life is not necessarily a balance, but more of choosing what is most important in a given moment, and everyone is different in what they prioritize.
In the workshops on Finding Fulfillment in Your Work, participants explored community engagement as a physician and the pursuit of meaningful research opportunities. Dr. Doriane Miller, director of the Center for Community Health and Vitality, was asked about the evolving role of physicians in interdisciplinary approaches to improving community health. Dr. Miller emphasized that physicians serve as the natural lawyer for patients, listening to their concerns and leveraging their positions to drive positive action. Dr. Milda Saunders, a physician-scientist at the University of Chicago, emphasized the importance of understanding one's motivations when pursuing research to best align personal and professional interests. She also encouraged attendees to leverage their existing skills in seeking out more experience, ranging from competences learned in pre-medical laboratory classes to social skills developed in extracurricular activities.
Workshops on Being Your Best Advocate included topics such as developing a network, finding mentors, handling bias in the workplace, and dealing with lack of representation in medicine. Dr. Susan Lopez, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity for Rush Graduate Medical Education, led an interactive workshop on how to handle microaggressions and biased incidents in a professional setting. Participants role played how to actively address microaggressions and follow up on an incident of bias if one is not comfortable addressing the incident in real time.
Dr. Victoria Barbosa, a dermatologist at the University of Chicago, answered questions from forum attendees about what to look for in a mentor as a medical trainee. She emphasized the importance of mentors being knowledgeable, accessible, and supportive of personal growth and independence. As a mentor herself, Dr. Barbosa also reminded participants to stay in touch with their mentors over the years, as mentors are interested in hearing about their successes and progress. In a session on overcoming imposter syndrome, Dr. Jana Richards, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of Chicago, provided valuable advice to participants. She urged them not to suffer in silence and emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive individuals who uplift and encourage. Dr. Richards highlighted the significance of acknowledging even small successes and fostering personal courage. She began and ended the session by reminding forum attendees that, above all, they are deserving, they have earned their successes, and they are exactly where they need to be.
Finally, Sara Roser Jones, Associate Director of Admissions for the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, hosted a workshop of crafting a successful medical school application for Black and Latina pre-medical students who attended the forum.
In support of our mission, we received donations from several businesses that were raffled off to attendees. The Princeton Review donated five MCAT preparation books and one certificate for a MCAT 513+ course, which were raffled to pre-medical student attendees. All forum attendees had the opportunity to participate in the raffle for wellness related prizes donated from local businesses including a gift box and massage voucher from The NOW Massage Chicago, a 10 class-pass for First Ascent Climbing & Fitness, 2-month membership and 2 small group training sessions at The Space, Training Studio and Gym and one complimentary one-night stay at The Sophy Chicago. We would like to thank all of these businesses for their donations that will support the well-being and success of Black and Latina women in medicine who attended our forum.
We are immensely grateful for all who were involved in planning and supporting this year’s event. The forum was supported by the Graduate Council Community, Social, and Wellness Fund, Biological Sciences Division Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the University of Chicago Office of Career Advancement, the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as well as the Pritzker School of Medicine Office of Admissions. We would also like to thank members of the Pritzker Administration that were involved in planning the forum, Sara Roser-Jones, Nikeela Oliver, Sonia Oyola, and Kate Blythe.