Author: Jennifer Long Diaz (MP4)

Across the country, women make up only 38% of MD/PhD students, and ISMMS comes in just below that national average. This disparity presents unique challenges and opportunities to advocate for women’s careers as physician-scientists. To address this need in our program, Women in MSTP formally launched in the spring of 2016. We aim to advocate for and support the success of women in the Medical Scientist Training Program at ISMMS through mentorship and educational efforts.

The Women in the MSTP (WiMSTP) held a recent picnic for students and faculty on a beautiful summer day in East Meadow at Central Park. In the upper right corner of the skyline, you can catch a glimpse of Annenberg, one of our flagship buildings.

Our inaugural event was a Medical Centerwide workshop on negotiating skills in February 2016, featuring successful physician-scientists from ISMMS and a keynote speaker from Albert Einstein. About 75 men and women at all career stages attended. Of those who gave feedback, 95% learned something new, and the majority hoped to attend a similar event again. We are currently collaborating with other student groups on a bigger, better negotiating skills event for 2017.

This fall semester, look for social and educational events where we will discuss issues important to women, students, physicians, and scientists. We’ll continue to work with other student groups as we leverage our unique position as mudphuds to bring together students from both the graduate and medical schools. As we reach out to students, we hope to increase awareness and get more women and men participating in our efforts. (Yes, you read that right: men’s participation is a critical part of advocating for gender equality!) Finally, our investigation into the roots of the MD/PhD gender disparity is ongoing in collaboration with a similar group at the University of North Carolina.

We hope to see you at a Women in MSTP event sometime this year. If you’re interested in becoming more involved, ask one of us about open positions, or tell us your idea for a new one!

2016-2017 WiMSTP Executive Board

President and Co-Founder: Jennifer Long Diaz, MP4

Co-Founder: Rebecca Hamlin, MS3

Vice President: Jessica Tan, MS2

Mentorship & Research Chair: Grace Mosley, MP1

Social & Communications Chair: Helya Ghaffari, MP3

Senior Student Advisors: Rebecca Hamlin, MS3 Mitra Heshmati, MS4

Faculty Advisors: Margaret H. Baron, MD PhD Miriam Merad, MD PhD