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Supporting career development for women in gastroenterology
When I was in fellowship in the late 1990s, it was rare to see women at many of the big gastroenterology conferences. And in terms of presentations, there was maybe one session led by or for women at lunchtime. These conferences were the only events I had ever been to where the line for the men’s room was longer than the line for the women’s room.
Over the years, the lines for the women’s room have gotten longer, and the sessions led by female gastroenterologists have grown exponentially. However, women are still underrepresented in our field. Two out of five GI fellows are women, but women constitute less than 18% of practicing gastroenterologists. And the number of women in leadership positions is even lower.
Women in medicine face many challenges
According to a report in JAMA Network Open, women have lower starting salaries more than 90% of the time, which can create income disparities in earning potential throughout our entire careers.
Other studies suggest that female physicians also spend more time with patients and answering messages from patients and colleagues as well. This extra time, although it is done in small increments, adds up quickly and could suggest the pay gap between women and men is wider than we think.
Of course, female physicians still spend more time parenting children and doing household labor. A study found that female physicians spent 8.5 hours more per week on activities that support the family and household.
We’ve been discussing equity for women in medicine, and in the workplace, for decades. But events over the past several years – such as the killing of George Floyd and the formation of the #MeToo movement in response to workplace sexual harassment – have accelerated a paradigm shift in how organizations are focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and creating cultures that support leadership development for women.
The Gastro Health Women’s Network
In 2020, the leadership of Gastro Health reiterated its commitment to fight discrimination and support equity by sending out a company-wide correspondence that encouraged us to be good stewards within our communities during these turbulent times.
This led to the development of the Gastro Health DEI Council and the Gastro Health Women’s Network, led by Dr. Asma Khapra and based on the framework developed by Dr. Dawn Sears. The programs developed by Dr. Sears are focused on facilitating authentic and supportive relationships, and they helped us create a network for women focused on recruitment, mentorship and retention, networking and social events, and leadership development.
Our network started with a meet & greet, inviting all women in Gastro Health to join a virtual call and get to know each other in an informal setting. This was a great way to introduce people to each other in our natural elements. It was wonderful to see how people are when they are at home and not working.
Recruiting female gastroenterologists
Even though about half of gastroenterology fellows choose independent GI, most fellowship programs don’t educate students about private practice careers or promote that path. In addition, a lot of the national GI conferences are geared toward the academic experience.
It’s incumbent on those of us in private practice to educate students about the benefits and challenges we face as members of independent GI groups, and Gastro Health set out to hold networking and recruitment events at different national conferences with GI fellows and residents.
We’re also working to develop partnerships with fellowship programs. This past year, we’ve held several educational dinners for fellows and residents. Most recently, Dr. Khapra and others took a road trip to New York for dinners with fellows from Mount Sinai, Westchester Medical Center, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
While it was beneficial for Gastro Health to provide information about life as private practice gastroenterologists, it was also helpful for us to hear how the GI leaders of tomorrow are navigating their career choices and what is impacting their decisions about the future.
Mentorship and retention are vital to practice sustainability
Once you’ve recruited physicians to join your practice, how do you ensure their success? Many practices are rightly concerned about their long-term sustainability and are exploring ways to help early-career physicians maintain the clinical skills they need to treat patients and learn the business skills they need to succeed in private practice.
Sometimes it’s as simple as reaching out to new associates on the first day to let them know you’re glad they’ve joined the practice and to let them know you’re available if they need anything. But there’s also growing recognition that implementing a formal mentorship program can help people feel included and supported.
The Women’s Network worked to pair its members with Gastro Health partners as mentors, and we’ve learned some things along the way. Initially, we tried to pair people with similar lifestyles and interests. What we found is that while this sometimes works, we may have overcomplicated the process. We learned that sometimes people would prefer mentors who have backgrounds that are different from their own. We were reminded that mentorship has many faces, and letting those relationships develop naturally can sometimes be more effective.
Networking and social events deter isolation and keep people engaged
Private practice can be different from working within a hospital because oftentimes your colleagues are working in different offices or facilities. In the case of our organization, those offices may be in different states hundreds of miles away. Within a hospital, there might be more potential to interact with your colleagues, whether in clinical conferences or through a chance encounter in the cafeteria.
In private practice, you may need to be more intentional about creating opportunities for people to network and get to know each other outside of work. This year, we developed an email and WhatsApp group so that women throughout the network can connect with each other. We have used it to disseminate information about upcoming events, fellowship opportunities with the national GI societies, interesting articles, and anything important that we think other women within Gastro Health would like to know.
In March, Gastro Health sponsored five women to attend the Scrubs & Heels Summit, which was developed by Dr. Anita Afzali and Dr. Aline Charabaty to create opportunities for women in GI at different stages of their GI careers and help them succeed and achieve their professional goals. There were 2 days of educational talks, but it also included plenty of events for our colleagues to get to know each other and network with other amazing female GI leaders from across the nation.
Where’s the boardroom?
A recent study found that the percentage of women on the boards of the 1,000 largest public companies in America is a little more than 28%, even though research shows that S&P 500 companies headquartered in California with 30% or more women on their boards had 29% higher revenue.
We’re working to develop opportunities for women to be in leadership positions, within our practices and on the national stage in terms of representation, within our national GI societies. It’s very exciting that we have women in leadership within AGA and ASGE, and that Dr. Latha Alaparthi has made increasing the focus on leadership and pipeline development one of her main priorities as the president and board chair of the Digestive Health Physicians Association (DHPA).
Another way private practices can support women who are leaders is by making recommendations for committees within our national societies and by recognizing that time spent developing presentations and speaking at national conferences is beneficial to the practice in terms of thought leadership, branding, and recruitment of the next generation of practice leaders.
While we have a long way to go, we’re also making strides in the board room at the practice level. I’m the first woman, and notably a woman of color, to join the Gastro Health board of directors under the guidance of support of CEO Joseph Garcia. Dr. Aja McCutchen, who serves as the chair of the DHPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, is similarly the first woman and woman of color on the board of directors for United Digestive in Atlanta.
What to look for in joining a practice
When determining which practice you might join, ask how committed the leadership of the organization is to supporting career development for women. Does the practice have a network, a committee or other internal group that supports female physicians? What steps does the practice leadership take to support women who are interested in executive opportunities?
If the practice does have an internal organization, how does it measure progress? For example, we’ve implemented focus groups to measure what is working and where we face the most challenges. Gastro Health partnered with a consultant to hold three confidential sessions with 10 women at a time. This will allow for us to collect depersonalized data that can be compiled into a report for the Gastro Health Board and leadership.
If you’re a woman who is considering a career in independent GI, seek out women in private practice and ask about their experiences. Ask about their path and what opportunities they sought out when starting their careers. They may know of some great opportunities that are available to build your leadership skills.
By creating a network for women, Gastro Health is hoping to make it easier to develop relationships and create productive partnerships. We are certain that working to address the specific challenges that female physicians face in their careers will strengthen our group, and ultimately independent gastroenterology overall.
Dr. Adams is a practicing gastroenterologist and partner at Gastro Health Fairfax in Virginia and serves on the Digestive Health Physicians Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Dr. Adams has no conflicts to declare.
When I was in fellowship in the late 1990s, it was rare to see women at many of the big gastroenterology conferences. And in terms of presentations, there was maybe one session led by or for women at lunchtime. These conferences were the only events I had ever been to where the line for the men’s room was longer than the line for the women’s room.
Over the years, the lines for the women’s room have gotten longer, and the sessions led by female gastroenterologists have grown exponentially. However, women are still underrepresented in our field. Two out of five GI fellows are women, but women constitute less than 18% of practicing gastroenterologists. And the number of women in leadership positions is even lower.
Women in medicine face many challenges
According to a report in JAMA Network Open, women have lower starting salaries more than 90% of the time, which can create income disparities in earning potential throughout our entire careers.
Other studies suggest that female physicians also spend more time with patients and answering messages from patients and colleagues as well. This extra time, although it is done in small increments, adds up quickly and could suggest the pay gap between women and men is wider than we think.
Of course, female physicians still spend more time parenting children and doing household labor. A study found that female physicians spent 8.5 hours more per week on activities that support the family and household.
We’ve been discussing equity for women in medicine, and in the workplace, for decades. But events over the past several years – such as the killing of George Floyd and the formation of the #MeToo movement in response to workplace sexual harassment – have accelerated a paradigm shift in how organizations are focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and creating cultures that support leadership development for women.
The Gastro Health Women’s Network
In 2020, the leadership of Gastro Health reiterated its commitment to fight discrimination and support equity by sending out a company-wide correspondence that encouraged us to be good stewards within our communities during these turbulent times.
This led to the development of the Gastro Health DEI Council and the Gastro Health Women’s Network, led by Dr. Asma Khapra and based on the framework developed by Dr. Dawn Sears. The programs developed by Dr. Sears are focused on facilitating authentic and supportive relationships, and they helped us create a network for women focused on recruitment, mentorship and retention, networking and social events, and leadership development.
Our network started with a meet & greet, inviting all women in Gastro Health to join a virtual call and get to know each other in an informal setting. This was a great way to introduce people to each other in our natural elements. It was wonderful to see how people are when they are at home and not working.
Recruiting female gastroenterologists
Even though about half of gastroenterology fellows choose independent GI, most fellowship programs don’t educate students about private practice careers or promote that path. In addition, a lot of the national GI conferences are geared toward the academic experience.
It’s incumbent on those of us in private practice to educate students about the benefits and challenges we face as members of independent GI groups, and Gastro Health set out to hold networking and recruitment events at different national conferences with GI fellows and residents.
We’re also working to develop partnerships with fellowship programs. This past year, we’ve held several educational dinners for fellows and residents. Most recently, Dr. Khapra and others took a road trip to New York for dinners with fellows from Mount Sinai, Westchester Medical Center, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
While it was beneficial for Gastro Health to provide information about life as private practice gastroenterologists, it was also helpful for us to hear how the GI leaders of tomorrow are navigating their career choices and what is impacting their decisions about the future.
Mentorship and retention are vital to practice sustainability
Once you’ve recruited physicians to join your practice, how do you ensure their success? Many practices are rightly concerned about their long-term sustainability and are exploring ways to help early-career physicians maintain the clinical skills they need to treat patients and learn the business skills they need to succeed in private practice.
Sometimes it’s as simple as reaching out to new associates on the first day to let them know you’re glad they’ve joined the practice and to let them know you’re available if they need anything. But there’s also growing recognition that implementing a formal mentorship program can help people feel included and supported.
The Women’s Network worked to pair its members with Gastro Health partners as mentors, and we’ve learned some things along the way. Initially, we tried to pair people with similar lifestyles and interests. What we found is that while this sometimes works, we may have overcomplicated the process. We learned that sometimes people would prefer mentors who have backgrounds that are different from their own. We were reminded that mentorship has many faces, and letting those relationships develop naturally can sometimes be more effective.
Networking and social events deter isolation and keep people engaged
Private practice can be different from working within a hospital because oftentimes your colleagues are working in different offices or facilities. In the case of our organization, those offices may be in different states hundreds of miles away. Within a hospital, there might be more potential to interact with your colleagues, whether in clinical conferences or through a chance encounter in the cafeteria.
In private practice, you may need to be more intentional about creating opportunities for people to network and get to know each other outside of work. This year, we developed an email and WhatsApp group so that women throughout the network can connect with each other. We have used it to disseminate information about upcoming events, fellowship opportunities with the national GI societies, interesting articles, and anything important that we think other women within Gastro Health would like to know.
In March, Gastro Health sponsored five women to attend the Scrubs & Heels Summit, which was developed by Dr. Anita Afzali and Dr. Aline Charabaty to create opportunities for women in GI at different stages of their GI careers and help them succeed and achieve their professional goals. There were 2 days of educational talks, but it also included plenty of events for our colleagues to get to know each other and network with other amazing female GI leaders from across the nation.
Where’s the boardroom?
A recent study found that the percentage of women on the boards of the 1,000 largest public companies in America is a little more than 28%, even though research shows that S&P 500 companies headquartered in California with 30% or more women on their boards had 29% higher revenue.
We’re working to develop opportunities for women to be in leadership positions, within our practices and on the national stage in terms of representation, within our national GI societies. It’s very exciting that we have women in leadership within AGA and ASGE, and that Dr. Latha Alaparthi has made increasing the focus on leadership and pipeline development one of her main priorities as the president and board chair of the Digestive Health Physicians Association (DHPA).
Another way private practices can support women who are leaders is by making recommendations for committees within our national societies and by recognizing that time spent developing presentations and speaking at national conferences is beneficial to the practice in terms of thought leadership, branding, and recruitment of the next generation of practice leaders.
While we have a long way to go, we’re also making strides in the board room at the practice level. I’m the first woman, and notably a woman of color, to join the Gastro Health board of directors under the guidance of support of CEO Joseph Garcia. Dr. Aja McCutchen, who serves as the chair of the DHPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, is similarly the first woman and woman of color on the board of directors for United Digestive in Atlanta.
What to look for in joining a practice
When determining which practice you might join, ask how committed the leadership of the organization is to supporting career development for women. Does the practice have a network, a committee or other internal group that supports female physicians? What steps does the practice leadership take to support women who are interested in executive opportunities?
If the practice does have an internal organization, how does it measure progress? For example, we’ve implemented focus groups to measure what is working and where we face the most challenges. Gastro Health partnered with a consultant to hold three confidential sessions with 10 women at a time. This will allow for us to collect depersonalized data that can be compiled into a report for the Gastro Health Board and leadership.
If you’re a woman who is considering a career in independent GI, seek out women in private practice and ask about their experiences. Ask about their path and what opportunities they sought out when starting their careers. They may know of some great opportunities that are available to build your leadership skills.
By creating a network for women, Gastro Health is hoping to make it easier to develop relationships and create productive partnerships. We are certain that working to address the specific challenges that female physicians face in their careers will strengthen our group, and ultimately independent gastroenterology overall.
Dr. Adams is a practicing gastroenterologist and partner at Gastro Health Fairfax in Virginia and serves on the Digestive Health Physicians Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Dr. Adams has no conflicts to declare.
When I was in fellowship in the late 1990s, it was rare to see women at many of the big gastroenterology conferences. And in terms of presentations, there was maybe one session led by or for women at lunchtime. These conferences were the only events I had ever been to where the line for the men’s room was longer than the line for the women’s room.
Over the years, the lines for the women’s room have gotten longer, and the sessions led by female gastroenterologists have grown exponentially. However, women are still underrepresented in our field. Two out of five GI fellows are women, but women constitute less than 18% of practicing gastroenterologists. And the number of women in leadership positions is even lower.
Women in medicine face many challenges
According to a report in JAMA Network Open, women have lower starting salaries more than 90% of the time, which can create income disparities in earning potential throughout our entire careers.
Other studies suggest that female physicians also spend more time with patients and answering messages from patients and colleagues as well. This extra time, although it is done in small increments, adds up quickly and could suggest the pay gap between women and men is wider than we think.
Of course, female physicians still spend more time parenting children and doing household labor. A study found that female physicians spent 8.5 hours more per week on activities that support the family and household.
We’ve been discussing equity for women in medicine, and in the workplace, for decades. But events over the past several years – such as the killing of George Floyd and the formation of the #MeToo movement in response to workplace sexual harassment – have accelerated a paradigm shift in how organizations are focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and creating cultures that support leadership development for women.
The Gastro Health Women’s Network
In 2020, the leadership of Gastro Health reiterated its commitment to fight discrimination and support equity by sending out a company-wide correspondence that encouraged us to be good stewards within our communities during these turbulent times.
This led to the development of the Gastro Health DEI Council and the Gastro Health Women’s Network, led by Dr. Asma Khapra and based on the framework developed by Dr. Dawn Sears. The programs developed by Dr. Sears are focused on facilitating authentic and supportive relationships, and they helped us create a network for women focused on recruitment, mentorship and retention, networking and social events, and leadership development.
Our network started with a meet & greet, inviting all women in Gastro Health to join a virtual call and get to know each other in an informal setting. This was a great way to introduce people to each other in our natural elements. It was wonderful to see how people are when they are at home and not working.
Recruiting female gastroenterologists
Even though about half of gastroenterology fellows choose independent GI, most fellowship programs don’t educate students about private practice careers or promote that path. In addition, a lot of the national GI conferences are geared toward the academic experience.
It’s incumbent on those of us in private practice to educate students about the benefits and challenges we face as members of independent GI groups, and Gastro Health set out to hold networking and recruitment events at different national conferences with GI fellows and residents.
We’re also working to develop partnerships with fellowship programs. This past year, we’ve held several educational dinners for fellows and residents. Most recently, Dr. Khapra and others took a road trip to New York for dinners with fellows from Mount Sinai, Westchester Medical Center, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
While it was beneficial for Gastro Health to provide information about life as private practice gastroenterologists, it was also helpful for us to hear how the GI leaders of tomorrow are navigating their career choices and what is impacting their decisions about the future.
Mentorship and retention are vital to practice sustainability
Once you’ve recruited physicians to join your practice, how do you ensure their success? Many practices are rightly concerned about their long-term sustainability and are exploring ways to help early-career physicians maintain the clinical skills they need to treat patients and learn the business skills they need to succeed in private practice.
Sometimes it’s as simple as reaching out to new associates on the first day to let them know you’re glad they’ve joined the practice and to let them know you’re available if they need anything. But there’s also growing recognition that implementing a formal mentorship program can help people feel included and supported.
The Women’s Network worked to pair its members with Gastro Health partners as mentors, and we’ve learned some things along the way. Initially, we tried to pair people with similar lifestyles and interests. What we found is that while this sometimes works, we may have overcomplicated the process. We learned that sometimes people would prefer mentors who have backgrounds that are different from their own. We were reminded that mentorship has many faces, and letting those relationships develop naturally can sometimes be more effective.
Networking and social events deter isolation and keep people engaged
Private practice can be different from working within a hospital because oftentimes your colleagues are working in different offices or facilities. In the case of our organization, those offices may be in different states hundreds of miles away. Within a hospital, there might be more potential to interact with your colleagues, whether in clinical conferences or through a chance encounter in the cafeteria.
In private practice, you may need to be more intentional about creating opportunities for people to network and get to know each other outside of work. This year, we developed an email and WhatsApp group so that women throughout the network can connect with each other. We have used it to disseminate information about upcoming events, fellowship opportunities with the national GI societies, interesting articles, and anything important that we think other women within Gastro Health would like to know.
In March, Gastro Health sponsored five women to attend the Scrubs & Heels Summit, which was developed by Dr. Anita Afzali and Dr. Aline Charabaty to create opportunities for women in GI at different stages of their GI careers and help them succeed and achieve their professional goals. There were 2 days of educational talks, but it also included plenty of events for our colleagues to get to know each other and network with other amazing female GI leaders from across the nation.
Where’s the boardroom?
A recent study found that the percentage of women on the boards of the 1,000 largest public companies in America is a little more than 28%, even though research shows that S&P 500 companies headquartered in California with 30% or more women on their boards had 29% higher revenue.
We’re working to develop opportunities for women to be in leadership positions, within our practices and on the national stage in terms of representation, within our national GI societies. It’s very exciting that we have women in leadership within AGA and ASGE, and that Dr. Latha Alaparthi has made increasing the focus on leadership and pipeline development one of her main priorities as the president and board chair of the Digestive Health Physicians Association (DHPA).
Another way private practices can support women who are leaders is by making recommendations for committees within our national societies and by recognizing that time spent developing presentations and speaking at national conferences is beneficial to the practice in terms of thought leadership, branding, and recruitment of the next generation of practice leaders.
While we have a long way to go, we’re also making strides in the board room at the practice level. I’m the first woman, and notably a woman of color, to join the Gastro Health board of directors under the guidance of support of CEO Joseph Garcia. Dr. Aja McCutchen, who serves as the chair of the DHPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, is similarly the first woman and woman of color on the board of directors for United Digestive in Atlanta.
What to look for in joining a practice
When determining which practice you might join, ask how committed the leadership of the organization is to supporting career development for women. Does the practice have a network, a committee or other internal group that supports female physicians? What steps does the practice leadership take to support women who are interested in executive opportunities?
If the practice does have an internal organization, how does it measure progress? For example, we’ve implemented focus groups to measure what is working and where we face the most challenges. Gastro Health partnered with a consultant to hold three confidential sessions with 10 women at a time. This will allow for us to collect depersonalized data that can be compiled into a report for the Gastro Health Board and leadership.
If you’re a woman who is considering a career in independent GI, seek out women in private practice and ask about their experiences. Ask about their path and what opportunities they sought out when starting their careers. They may know of some great opportunities that are available to build your leadership skills.
By creating a network for women, Gastro Health is hoping to make it easier to develop relationships and create productive partnerships. We are certain that working to address the specific challenges that female physicians face in their careers will strengthen our group, and ultimately independent gastroenterology overall.
Dr. Adams is a practicing gastroenterologist and partner at Gastro Health Fairfax in Virginia and serves on the Digestive Health Physicians Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Dr. Adams has no conflicts to declare.