Studies have shown that patients treated by female physicians experience lower mortality and readmission rates than those treated by male physicians, yet many women physicians experience gender bias during their careers. The Midwestern Women in Otolaryngology Symposium, hosted by WashU Medicine on March 10, is addressing the unique challenges faced by women in that field.
Symposium co-organizer Nyssa Farrel, MD, explained that despite increasing numbers of women entering otolaryngology, they remain underrepresented in leadership positions such as division chiefs, department chairs, and senior academic roles.
“This symposium provides a dedicated space for women to connect, share their experiences, and develop strategies for overcoming career barriers,” said Farrell. “By fostering mentorship, peer support, and leadership development, the event helps participants build the skills and networks necessary to excel. The symposium ultimately supports the retention and success of women in otolaryngology, benefiting both individual careers and the field as a whole.
[CALLOUT: Gender bias can manifest as limited access to mentorship, fewer leadership opportunities, or feeling excluded from decision-making spaces. – Nyssa Farrell, MD.
The second annual meeting was held at the Eric P. Newman Education Center. Co-organizers Jennifer Brinkmeier, MD, and Nyssa Farrell, MD, were assisted by a planning committee of fellow WashU Med Otolaryngology faculty, including Eric Barbarite, MD, Molly Huston, MD, Miranda Lindburg, MD, Maithilee Menezes, MD, M> Allison Ogden, MD, and Sid Puram, MD, PhD.
Guest and local faculty for the course included experts in career development from across the country:
- Brandon Baird, MD, University of Chicago
- Hilary Anger Elfenbein, PhD, WashU Olin School of Business
- Carrie L. Francis, MD, Kansas University medical Center
- Christine Franzese, MD, University of Missouri, Columbia
- Molly Huston, MD, WashU Medicine
- Stacey Ishman, MD, MPH, Dayton Children’s Hospital
- Christie L. Morgan, MD, MS, Wayne State University School of Medicine
- Kath O’Neill, Community America Credit Union
- Mike Pugh, Enterprise Mobility
- Minka Schofield, MD, MPH, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Kristine Smith, MD, University of Utah
- Marita Teng, MD, Mount Sinai Health System
- Shiayin F. Yang, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
“This year’s conference focused on strategies to navigate large and small career transitions, whether they involve changes in a title, a place of work, an entire career, and the more gradual evolutions that take place over the course of our working lives,” said Jennifer Brinkmeier. “According to feedback received, it was a huge success!”