By Erin Garvey, MD, FACS Last October, I watched as the new 2019 Fellow initiates processed into Convocation at the ACS Clinical Congress in San Francisco. I felt excited as I imagined myself and the...
Blog
Women Neurosurgeons Symposium- A Driver for Change
By Simone Betchen, Jamie Ullman, and Martina Stippler Women make up a small percentage (7%) of neurosurgeons in the United States according to the 2017 AAMC data. However, whenever I go to national c...
Blog
Tips for medical students, residents/fellows, and junior attendings looking to network in the surgical community through social media
By Jaina Lane & Tishina Tittley Networking is an important aspect of professional development. In a typical application season, medical students work hard to form connections with attendings, ...
Blog
Overcoming Bias
By Joyce Majure, MD, FACS The Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) has come a long way since its founding in 1981. Looking back, it is amazing to see not only how our organization has grown, but al...
Blog
The Token Foreigner
By Patricia Martinez Quinones “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” - Ralph Waldo Emerson Imagine receiving an email that you have been selec...
Blog
My First AWS Meeting
By Kristin Rojas Annual medical conferences are not only an opportunity to stay up-to-date with developments in your prospective field, but also a convenient way to catch up with inspirational fri...
Blog
When the job of your dreams, isn’t.
By Melissa Alvarez-Downing This time of year always brings me back to when I was starting a new job following fellowship training. After months of searching I’d found an opportunity close to hom...
Blog
Residents as Teachers: Shaping the Doctors of Tomorrow
By Jane Zhao, MD, MS It’s July, which means that around the country, it’s the beginning of the academic year for medical students and surgical residents. My brand new third year medical studen...
Blog
Fail Better
By Anne Mongiu This unexpected invitation to write a post for AWS coincided with an equally unexpected phone call from my closest friend from medical school. She had resigned from her rather subst...
Blog
Remember: You’re Strong enough!
The AWS blog is thrilled to recognize the experience and accomplishments of women surgeons around the world. While women surgeons share many common experiences, we differ in our cultural norms,...