Sixty Duke University medical students joined Careers in Internal Medicine Interest Group (CIMIGro) — a student-run organization at Duke University School of Medicine whose purpose is to orient medical students to the field of internal medicine and its sub-specialties — and co-host, the Duke Department of Medicine Chair’s Office, at January’s Women in Medicine Panel at Parizade restaurant.
“There continues to be a significant growth with women in medicine, especially in some of the largest specialties according to data by the Association of American Medical Colleges,” said Vice Chair for Education Dr. Lisa Criscione-Schreiber. “While we’re excited to see this continued growth, we understand there are still systemic barriers to navigate as women in medicine. Here in the DOM, we want to make sure that our medical students understand career opportunities in internal medicine and its sub-specialties, and also how to navigate the various stages in their career as they develop into physician leaders.”
Panelists, who shared their career experiences in a question-and-answer session with Dr. Cooney, included cardiology fellow, Dr. Jessica Regan, Dr. Charity Oyedeji, assistant professor in the Division of Hematology, Dr. Jenna McNeil, assistant professor in Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Caroline Sloan, assistant professor of General Internal Medicine, and Dr. Serena Wong, assistant professor in Geriatrics.
Additionally, several faculty members led table discussions with groups of students including Dr. Neha Kayastha, assistant professor in General Internal Medicine, Dr. Cassy Sims, assistant professor in Medicine, Dr. Julie Steinbrink, assistant professor in Infectious Diseases, Dr. Sweta Patel, assistant professor in Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, and Dr. Jacqueline Henson, assistant professor in Gastroenterology.
"Having an opportunity to hear from this incredible panel of women physicians who shared their career experiences is very empowering to students and helps us to consider a way by which our individual skills and interests can serve us in a career in internal medicine,” said Meaghan O'Connor (MS3), a CIMIGro student leader. “We greatly appreciate all the work throughout the year by faculty and staff within the Department of Medicine that helps students explore and find their place within internal medicine.”
“We are so excited to provide the experience that CIMIGro offers to our students at this critical time in their careers,” said Dr. Criscione-Schreiber. “Our students are able to talk in-depth with our experienced, talented faculty members about their specific interests and challenges, and learn first-hand what a career in one of the many sub-specialties of internal medicine is like.“