AMA Trainee Forum on College Initiatives to Support Women in Healthcare Leadership
The second AMA Trainee Forum of 2023 was held on the 18 May and co-hosted with the Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership (AWHL) research team. AMA Council of Doctors in Training (AMACDT) Deputy Co-Chair, Dr Elise Buisson with AHWL researcher Dr Jenny Proimos, facilitated a discussion on college initiatives to support women in healthcare leadership with trainee chairs/representatives from specialist medical colleges attending.
Patriarchal attitudes are deeply embedded in medicine and medical training. Australian specialist medical colleges can both provide barriers and pathways for women in healthcare leadership. Trainee chairs discussed a wide range of factors that can create a supportive working and training environment for all trainees across and beyond the gender spectrum. Key themes emerging from the discussion included access to childcare, support for return to work, access to flexibility in training, and having in place visible role models for female and diverse leadership. Emerging from the discussion was the importance of trainees being actively consulted and communicated with the governance and decision making regarding their training. Trainees should be represented in all high-level College governance and decision-making structures including boards and committees.
