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    GWIMS Individual and Organization Leadership Awards

    The 2023 nomination cycle is now closed.

    The Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) Leadership Award recognizes outstanding individual faculty and organizational/program contributions to advancing women leaders in academic medicine and science. Since 1995, these prestigious awards have recognized over 45 individuals and organizations.

    Any member of the academic medicine community may nominate individuals and/or organizations/programs for the award. The GWIMS Steering Committee strongly encourages nominations of leaders and programs that have significant impact on advancing women leaders in academic medicine and science. Nominations for established and emerging faculty leaders are encouraged.

    Award Categories

    There are four award categories. Before submitting an application, please fully review all category descriptions. Here are the 2023 Leadership Award winners:

    Leadership Award for an Individual

    Nominee has contributed to the advancement of women in medicine and science for 10 years or more of their career.

    GWIMS Leadership Award Winner Headshot of Jennifer Potter

    Dr. Jennifer Potter is Professor of Medicine and Advisory Dean at Harvard Medical School, Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute, and Program Lead for the Harvard Medical School-Fenway Health LGBTQIA+ Health Fellowship Program, Dr. Jennifer Potter (she/her) is a national leader in women's health and gender equity. The centerpiece of her scholarly work is advancing excellence in medical education and care for women and sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities. In addition to publishing >95 peer-reviewed articles and formally mentoring >75 trainees, Dr. Potter has co-edited three seminal textbooks on SGM health and spearheaded the development of inaugural UME competencies in SGM health and trauma-informed care (TIC). At Harvard, Dr. Potter serves as Advisory Dean and Director of the William B. Castle Society; Associate Director of two CME courses focused on primary care internal medicine and SGM health education; and Faculty Co-Director of two longitudinal curricular themes centering SGM Health Equity and TIC. Outside HMS, she serves as Associate Editor for MedEdPORTAL and provides consultation to medical schools and healthcare organizations engaged in diverse health equity initiatives. Dr. Potter’s previous honors include the Harold Amos Faculty Diversity Award, Dr. Susan M. Love Award, Massachusetts Medical Society LGBTQ Health Award, and numerous teaching and mentorship awards.

    Emerging Leadership Award for an Individual

    Nominee has contributed to the advancement of women in medicine and science for fewer than 10 years of their career.

    GWIMS Leadership Award Winner Headshot of Jenny Lee

    Dr. Jenny Lee is Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics and the Senior Associate Dean for the Office of Women in Science and Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Her work is focused on gender equity in faculty development.

    Dr. Lee founded the Women’s Empowerment and Leadership Initiative in 2018 to empower highly productive women pediatric anesthesiologists to achieve equity, leadership, and promotion. Leaders of all genders have collaborated to make this organization a success. Currently, they have more than 220 members in the U.S. and Canada with an additional chapter in Australia and New Zealand. More than 40% of their North American advisors are men.

    At Johns Hopkins, Dr. Lee leads three cohort leadership programs. She partners with leaders in faculty development to deliver year-round seminars for clinicians, educators, and scientists at Hopkins.

    She also conducts translational research to reduce the risk of permanent neurologic injury in babies and children with hypoxic brain injury. Her research has been funded by the NIH and several foundations, including the American Heart Association, International Anesthesia Research Society, and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research.

    Leadership Award for an Organization

    The organization/program has contributed to the advancement of women in medicine and science for 10 years or more and have documented outcomes.

    GWIMS Leadership Award - UT Southwestern Medical Center

    The UT Southwestern Women in Science and Medicine Advisory Committee (WISMAC) and Office of Women Careers (OWC) have an exemplary record of collaboration to elevate the visibility and success of women in science and medicine. WISMAC was founded in 1994 to enhance the representation of women faculty and learners and to develop an inclusive environment to promote their success. WISMAC successfully advocated for the establishment of the Office of Women’s Career in 2014, and the inaugural Associate Dean is Helen Yin, PhD, Professor of Physiology, and a founding member of WISMAC. Together, these two synergistic entities support the women who now make up nearly 50% of UT Southwestern’s faculty. They have a profound impact on the entire institution at all levels. Their impact expanded beyond UT Southwestern in multiple ways. These include AAAS Lyda Hill IF/THEN grant supported Celebrating Breakthroughs Together multimedia display to celebrate women’s achievement and the award of a $16.4 million NIH FIRST U54 grant to jumpstart the recruitment of early career faculty who are underrepresented in science and medicine, including racial minorities and women. The UTSW WISMAC and OWC partnership has been exemplary. Together they have effectively and creatively increased the visibility and opportunities for women in the nation’s academic medical institutions.

    Emerging Leadership Award for an Organization

    The organization/program has contributed to the advancement of women in medicine and science for fewer than 10 years.

    GWIMS Leadership Award - Massachusetts General Hospital

    The Anne Klibanski Visiting Scholars Award addresses the lack of women in leadership positions and at higher academic ranks in academic medicine by providing them the opportunity to serve as a “virtual” visiting professor and give grand rounds at a national or international institution, receive outside mentorship, and, through group leadership coaching and peer mentoring, expand their network and create a community of peers. These activities have helped to build a national/international reputation to support academic promotion and advance to senior leadership positions. So far, the implementation of this program positively influences women’s careers.

    Since 2020, 42% of awardees have been promoted, 53% have received grant funding, 30% have received other awards, 94% published at least one manuscript, and 65% have started new leadership roles, which they attributed to the merit of the award and the associated leadership coaching and the peer mentoring.

    Submission Requirements

    Submitters are encouraged to compile all application materials ahead of time to expedite the submission process.

    Helpful information to prepare a submission:

    Application Review and Committee Notification

    Under the leadership of the GWIMS Immediate Past Chair, all applications are reviewed in full by the GWIMS steering committee at the July steering committee meeting. Applicants are notified in early August of committee decisions.

    Award Presentation

    Recipients of the GWIMS Leadership Awards will be recognized at the GWIMS Leadership Award ceremony at Learn Serve Lead: The AAMC Annual Meeting in November.