California Chapter Women In Cardiology
October 15, 2022 Webinar – Annual California ACC Women in Cardiology Symposium Partnership with UCSF
WIC RESOURCES PDF
California ACC Catalysts for Empowerment: Women in Leadership Virtual Event Oct 28, 2021
2019 Annual CA WIC Chapter Event Keynote Presentation
The California Chapter Women in Cardiology held their annual WIC event May 11, 2019 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Women in Cardiology Section Chair, Toniya Singh MBBS, FACC, was the keynote speaker and shared her presentation.
WIC Co-Chairs Janet Wei, MD, FACC and Teresa Daniele, MD, FACC with CA ACC CEO Lianna Collinge, CAE at the annual WIC event in 2019.
Attendees of the California Chapter Women in Cardiology annual WIC event May 11, 2019 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
ACC California Chapter Women in Cardiology Workgroup Formation
Because the ACC recognizes that the goals of the WIC committee may be further advanced through programs and activities at a more local level, the Executive Council of the California Chapter of the ACC has formally adopted the WIC Workgroup. We propose that the Workgroup include leaders from both Northern and Southern California, who will create a unified curriculum of activities, programs, and resources to be carried out in a parallel fashion in the two regions, either locally or regionally, with the regional groups occasionally having a larger gathering on the state level. Regional leaders will have a cohort of local leaders who will be available to participate in activities and programs based on their career level, practice affiliation, and other unique insights/experiences. We believe that women at different career levels have different needs, as do women in various job descriptions, but that all women in cardiology have something to learn from each other.
We envision the regional groups being centered around the academic centers in order to maximize access for trainees, but will strongly emphasize the participation of non-academic cardiologists, including those in private practice and industry. The Northern California centers would include UCSF, UCSF\Fresno, Stanford, UC Davis, and California Pacific Medical Center, while the Southern California centers would include UCLA, Los Angeles County-Harbor UCLA, UCLA-VA Greater Los Angeles, Cedar Sinai, UC Irvine, Loma Linda, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, UC San Diego, Navel Medical Center San Diego, and Scripps Clinic.
With this in mind, we have organized a preliminary table of activities and programs that may be offered by the CA ACC WIC group (see below). Each program is designed to meet the specific needs of women at each career level and to meet specific goals outlined by the ACC.
For women in medical training or residency, the goal is to attract more women to cardiovascular medicine. These women need access to more general information about cardiovascular medicine, including career options and the typical life of a cardiologist. We feel that the best forum for this is on the local level where students and residents can meet women cardiologists in their local community, creating an opportunity for networking and possible mentoring. We propose that each academic center hold a yearly forum with a Speaker Panel that will include leaders in academic medicine, industry, and private practice. Attendees will gain networking opportunities, mentorships and research opportunities.
For current cardiovascular medicine fellows, the goal is to retain them in cardiovascular medicine. At this stage in their career, they need to learn more about which career path is the best fit for them (i.e. industry vs. academia vs. private practice) and/or whether or not they should sub-specialize (i.e. general cardiology, imaging, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology). They also need to learn about job opportunities, interviewing techniques, contract negotiation, and funding sources (i.e. salaries, research grants, etc). An understanding of politics among the leaders of the academic center, private practice group, or industry will also empower them to advance their careers. Finally, teaching them strategies to maintain a work/life balance will provide a foundation for continued success in cardiovascular medicine. We propose holding quarterly didactic sessions at the regional level to address these various topics.
For women early in their careers in academia, private practice, and industry, the ACC can provide information that will be critical to career advancement. Didactic lectures on a regional level can be organized to address the specific needs of each of these career settings as outlined in the table below. We also propose the creation of a website of local, regional, and national opportunities that centralizes information into an easily accessible format. In addition, we envision the creation of a blog as a forum for women in cardiology to connect, share information, and discuss critical issues of concern to them and their careers.
For women in the later stages of their career, the goal is to provide them additional information for career advancement focusing on attaining leadership opportunities, building local and national reputations, and retaining status. Providing additional information about transitioning to retirement is also important. We think that an annual didactic session held regionally, followed by an opportunity to network with others would be a good forum to provide this information.
Lianna S. Collinge, CAE, CEO
California Chapter of the American College of Cardiology
Toll Free 1-877-460-5880 Fax 253.265.3043.
Women In Cardiology Facts as of Fall 2018
- 9.8% OF ADULT CARDIOLOGY FACCS IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2015 WERE WOMEN. (ACC INTERNAL DATA)
- AAMC WORKFORCE REPORTS SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT FROM 9.7% IN 2007 TO 13.2% WOMEN IN 2015, BUT STILL FAR BELOW THE 37% WOMEN IN GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE.
- CARDIOLOGY IS 36TH OF 44 SPECIALTIES TRACKED FOR PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN, AND INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY IS 42ND OF 44 (ONLY THORACIC AND ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY ARE LESS DIVERSE).
- THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN IN CARDIOLOGY FELLOWSHIPS HAS HELD STEADY AT 21% FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS WHILE INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENTS, OUR TALENT POOL, ARE 43% FEMALE.
- THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN AMONG ADULT CARDIOLOGY FELLOWS IS LOWER THAN ALL OTHER RESIDENCIES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NEUROSURGERY (17%) AND ORTHOPEDICS (14%).
- THORACIC AND VASCULAR SURGERY ATTRACT MORE WOMEN TO THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS THAN DOES CARDIOLOGY.
- INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY ARE CONSIDERABLY LESS DIVERSE, WITH 8% OF TRAINEES IN EITHER AREA BEING WOMEN. (RESIDENCY DATA FROM ACGME GME DATA RESOURCE BOOK 2015-2016 TABLE C.21; AVAILABLE HERE)