SIR 2017 - The WIR (Women in IR) Perspective

This year’s SIR annual meeting was a huge success for the Women in IR section.  To start things, two of the three SIR gold medals were awarded to women.  Jeanne LaBerge, MD is an IR on staff at UCSF.   She has been a volunteer at the SIR for many years.  In addition to serving on the ABR Board of Trustees, she has been instrumental in the establishment of the IR/DR residency.  Kathy Krol, MD is a retired IR from Indianapolis.  She is a past president of the SIR.  In addition to serving as the RUC advisor for many years, Kathy is currently the chair of the CPT Editorial Panel.

The room was full again for the annual WIR luncheon.  This year, we co-sponsored the lunch which featured a panel discussion of mentorship.  Erik Cressman, Shellie Josephs, Barbara Nickel and Harjit Singh spoke about their personal experiences as a mentor and mentee.  They offered advice to optimize these relationships that are so essential for professional development and growth.

The WIR section hosted the inaugural InspIRed Lecture, featuring Patricia Numann, MD.  Dr. Numann, a retired breast surgeon, was the founder of the Association of Women Surgeons.  She gave an enlightening talk about her career and offered advice for moving the WIR section forward.  Following her presentation, there was a reception where women from all career levels gathered to socialize and network.

Thanks to a thoughtful effort from the annual meeting committee, there were significantly more women participating in this meeting as speakers, moderators and coordinators.  Two sessions that were suggested by the WIR were added to this year’s meeting.  There was a workshop on Physician Wellness that featured speakers addressing burnout, work-life balance, mindfulness and stress reduction.  A career development mini-symposium brought together speakers addressing issues including emotional intelligence, networking, navigating office politics and strategic thinking.

Finally, our Twitter account was launched.  Follow us at @WomenIrads.  We already have over 200 followers.

Planning will begin soon for next year’s meeting in Los Angeles.  Hope to see everyone there.