Women in Medicine and Health Science (WIMHS)
Message from the Director

Happy New Year from WIMHS!

The transition from 2021 to 2022 has been a busy time for our WIMHS program, including our virtual celebration of September’s Women in Medicine Month, advocacy efforts led by our amazing WIMHS Department Liaisons, a new grant to support early-career faculty with caregiving responsibilities, and plans to form the new Dean’s Advisory Committee on Gender Equity. I look forward to providing an exciting WIMHS speaker series in 2022 and thank all of my colleagues who continue to support our WIMHS program.

Women in Medicine Month

Although we had hoped to gather in September to celebrate Women in Medicine Month at our annual WIMHS Fall Welcome, we decided to postpone the WIMHS Welcome until we can meet in person. Instead, we celebrated Women in Medicine virtually by spotlighting women here at UC Davis Health dedicated to improving women’s health & leadership in academic medicine. Follow us on Twitter @UCDavisWIMHS to learn more about our amazing colleagues or email us at hs-WIMHS@ucdavis.edu to nominate a colleague to spotlight next September.

Departmental Liaisons

WIMHS now has Departmental Liaisons (DLs) to better support women’s careers in academic health across the 19 clinical and 7 academic departments at the UC Davis School of Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. WIMHS DLs provide a direct link between our central WIMHS program and their home department and actively participate in recruitment, retention, and support of women in science and medicine. Our WIMHS network has played an increasing role in local advocacy efforts by drafting a “Letter of Support for Families and Caregivers” to address the need for flexibility as we return to in-person teaching this fall. Our letter was signed by many UCDH colleagues and integrated with a campus-wide effort to address these concerns. Thank you to all of the WIMHS DLs who led these efforts and to our collaborators on the main campus! We are currently recruiting DLs for Family Medicine, Medical Microbiology, Orthopaedic Surgery and Otolaryngology. To volunteer or connect with your WIMHS DL, please visit our home page.

New Grant

Dr. Collen Clancy and I have been awarded one of 22 national “COVID-19 Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists” grants to support early-career biomedical researchers who are working on clinical research projects and facing extra-professional demands of caregiving increased by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and its funding partner, the Burroughs Welcome Fund, the School of Medicine has received a $500,000 award that will support 10 faculty members. Matching support by the School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Academic Personnel, and the MIND Institute will provide program support and funding for an additional 4 faculty. Each will receive a $45,000-50,000 supplement to bolster research productivity and allow them to participate in small group, professional development mentoring activities. Applications are now open and will be due February 28th, 2022.

Please review the eligibility requirements below prior to applying and contact hs-ucdhsfacultydevelopment@ucdavis.edu to discuss eligibility guidelines.

Dean’s Advisory Committee on Gender Equity

Dr. Rachel Whitmer and I have been asked to lead the new Dean’s Advisory Committee on Gender Equity. With the full support of Interim Dean Susan Murin, the Dean’s Gender Equity Advisory Committee will review issues vital to advancing equal treatment, recruitment and retention of a gender-balanced workforce, and gender equality in senior and leadership roles, and will provide recommendations for advancement in these areas. Committee members will consist of faculty, learners, trainees, and staff (clinical and administrative). It is our goal that committee members reflect diverse roles and experiences in the School of Medicine. We plan to complete our review of the initial round of applicants and announce membership in early 2022 – more to come!

Upcoming WIMHS Events

We have two guest speakers planned for early 2022 who will be focusing on mentorship, sponsorship, allyship, and salary equity. Male allies are especially encouraged to attend our WIMHS speaker series!

January 10, 2022 12-1 p.m. - In case you missed it, we have posted the video:
“Moving the Needle: Mentorship, Sponsorship and Allyship”
Dr. Nancy Spector
Vice Dean for Faculty
Professor of Pediatrics
Executive Director, ELAM Drexel University College of Medicine

February 7th, 2022 12-1 p.m. (presentation will be recorded and made available for later viewing)
“Closing the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine”
Dr. Amy S. Gottlieb
Professor of Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology
Inaugural Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
University of Massachusetts Medical School

March 2022 - Women's History Month & International Women's Day (March 8th)
Watch our social media platforms for a virtual celebration of these events. 
Twitter | Facebook