Physicians from around Florida gathered in Jacksonville on April 4 for the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville’s Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) Leadership Conference. The event, co-sponsored by the Florida Medical Association (FMA), was organized by Madeline Joseph, MD, UF Associate Dean for Faculty and Engagement, with support from WIMS Executive Committee Chair Tracy Ashby, DO, and Vice Chair Rachel Carpenter, MD.
The conference focused on “Getting Unstuck – Crafting Your Journey to Work-Life Excellence.” After opening remarks by Dr. Joseph, FMA President Lisa Cosgrove, MD, addressed the importance of community among women physicians.
“The conference theme is spot on because our professional and personal lives are always in motion,” said Dr. Cosgrove. “As someone who raised three sons during my career as a practicing pediatrician, I can honestly say that one of the most important things you can do to meet those challenges is to remain in community with other physicians.” She emphasized the role of organized medicine as a source of connection and mentorship for women in medical leadership.
Dr. Cosgrove also discussed progress for women in medicine over her career: “I’m a third-generation physician who worked as a nurse at Miami Children’s Hospital before going to medical school,” she said. “When I started practicing medicine in 1984, women made up about 16 percent of the country’s physician workforce compared to 38 percent today.” She added that women now make up more than half of U.S. medical students: “To put that in perspective, there were two women in my father’s medical school class at the University of Arkansas.”
American Academy of Pediatrics President Susan Kressly, MD, delivered a keynote on navigating careers amid healthcare challenges.
“You need to get high enough to look down and see where the exits are for your personal and career trajectory,” Dr. Kressly said. She noted that while circumstances may be beyond one’s control, thoughts and decisions remain within reach.
“You can reframe how you think about things,” she said. “You can reframe your message when you’re trying to influence change in your organization or your personal life. You can decide how much you’re going to let others and other external forces personally impact you and put guardrails around how much it’s going to impact you.”
Dr. Kressly encouraged participants to stay connected with their motivations: “Know yourself; be honest with yourself,” she said. She used an analogy comparing different people’s needs for fulfillment: “Just like different plants need certain environments and nutrients to keep growing, I can be like a cactus, running on almost anything to survive – but if I’m planted in the wrong climate, I’m not going to thrive.”
She stressed self-awareness: “Make sure that you’re getting a daily dose of something that fills your cup,” Dr. Kressly said. Mentoring others motivates her: “There is nothing more satisfying as a leader than mentoring yourself out of a job.” She concluded by urging advocacy for patients: “Every opportunity that physicians don’t show up (for) is a lost chance to influence what happens for our patients,” she said. “You are planting seeds for the future. Every day you show up is a better day for patients.”
A panel followed addressing family planning among physicians. Samuel Brown, MD spoke about early fertility preservation discussions and advances in treatment; Karen Whalen, PharmD provided information about fertility medications; Melissa Parsons-Tucker, MD shared research showing higher infertility rates among female physicians compared with the general population and highlighted psychological support needs.
Dr. Cosgrove reflected on her own experiences with fertility issues while working as a physician; another speaker described choosing not to have children after facing similar challenges—a choice made by 15-20% of female doctors according to research.
Sessions included mindfulness training led by Rachel Carpenter, MD; Rania Sanford, EdD introduced appreciative inquiry techniques designed to improve team performance through questioning assumptions and brainstorming solutions; breakout sessions allowed attendees hands-on practice with these methods.
Additional workshops featured topics such as mindfulness—led by members of UF-Jacksonville’s psychiatry department—and artificial intelligence applications in medical education presented by Colleen Kalynych, EdD and Jessica O’Leary, PhD.
The event closed with remarks from Dr. Joseph followed by networking opportunities during a cocktail hour.
Rebekah Bernard, MD—a family physician based in Fort Myers—is chair of FMA’s Women’s Physician Committee and has authored four books including “Imposter Doctors: Patients at Risk.” Dr. Bernard frequently writes about physician wellness issues.
