If you’re not a pre-health student yourself, chances are you know someone who is. As one of the top research universities in the country with a medical school and teaching hospital ranked #1 in Primary Care, UW Seattle attracts hundreds of hopeful pre-medicine students every admissions cycle. With the multitude of pre-med centered RSOs on campus, it can be hard to choose one to join while making sure that you’re becoming part of a lasting community whose values you share.
If you or someone you know are looking for a group of like-minded students dedicated to become better physicians while understanding the nuances of women’s health, consider joining UW’s chapter of AMWA. The American Medical Women’s Association is an organization founded in 1915 committed to the advocacy of female-identifying physicians, medical students, and women’s health. With chapters across universities, medical schools, and communities in all areas of the United States, AMWA is one of the founding leaders in advocacy for female physicians.
This past week, I had the chance to speak with UW AMWA Co-Presidents Emma Lascar and Kennedy Magner to learn more about their club, what they stand for, and how they’re empowering collegiate women in their journey to medical school and their careers:
- When and why was AMWA founded at UW?
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“AMWA was founded in the 2018-2019 school year. Me and several of my friends on the healthcare track learned about the national AMWA organization and saw that while the UW Medical School had a branch, there was no pre-medical branch at UW. There are plenty of medical/healthcare RSOs at UW but none specifically dedicated to supporting and empowering women on their journey towards a career in healthcare, so we thought it important to bring that to campus. It’s been a lot of work starting a chapter from scratch, but we all love what this organization stands for and are excited to see it grow!”
- What is UW AMWA’s mission/goal? What do you stand for?
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“Our mission is to advance women in medicine, advocate for equity and ensure excellence in health care. Our goal as a club is to create a supportive and encouraging community for all pre-health students at UW. We stand for equity, diversity and inclusion within the medical field.”
- Why is it important to empower women in medicine, specifically?
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“Medicine has historically been a male-dominated field. While we are seeing the demographic of entering medical students slowly change (as of 2019, 50.5% of medical students are women!), males continue to dominate the medical field at a ratio of 1.8 men for every one woman. As such, we find it important to offer resources and networking opportunities targeted to women. From previous physician panels that we have hosted, it has been sobering to hear how often women are questioned and scrutinized for choosing certain careers and specialties; for example, women who elect competitive, demanding specialties are often asked about their family and child-rearing plans — men are not. Despite the percentage of female medical school applicants increasing every year, this gender-biased rhetoric is still evident in the field. This is why we think it is crucial to advocate specifically for women in medicine and support them along their journey.”
- What advice do you have for women entering into male-dominated industries?
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“If you are not male-identifying, be conscious of the bias you may face even when not explicit. The first step to changing the atmosphere and precedent of any male-dominated field is making others aware of their inherent, internal biases — something that can only be done if you yourself recognize it and actively advocate against it. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for whatever position, pay raise, or recognition you deserve!”
So, if you’re looking to learn more about what it means to identify as a woman in medicine, gain access to numerous resources, and be a part of AMWA at UW, you can find them on instagram (@uwamwa) or find their RSO profile here.