Becker's connected with Sheri Slezak, MD, plastic surgery division chief and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, to hear her advice for female physicians and medical students looking to take on leadership roles.
Note: This response has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: What advice do you have for female physicians and medical students who want to take on leadership roles?
Dr. Sheri Slezak: Accept praise for a job well done. Beware of the imposter syndrome. Talk about your successful projects — men certainly do!
Show up for all activities, be engaged, sit in front, ask questions, meet at least two leaders/participants. Network!
Pick one regional and one national organization, ask for committee assignments — they can turn into committee chair assignments and leadership positions if you do the work.
Look for opportunities/new committees/new issues — one study found that women apply for open jobs if they have 100 percent of the qualifications, but men apply if they meet 60 percent. Women are missing opportunities to learn.
Pick an area of focus and become an expert. Give talks on it.
Have regular meetings with your boss and colleagues — identify new goals for the next six to 24 months. Ask about a timetable for promotion. Identify extra training in leadership, new skills workshops or MBA opportunities.
Try to write two to six papers a year. If you are not a research person, collaborate with someone who is. Help others write book chapters. Do a podcast. Help design a curriculum for students or residents.
If you don't like public speaking, bring a handout of your ideas to a meeting. It will make you focus and summarize. It gives you something to fall back on if you get nervous and is written evidence of your ideas.
Negotiate — a study found that 57 percent of men ask for a higher salary at hiring, but 7 percent of women do. You can also negotiate for lab time, [advanced practitioners], seed money, conference attendance, training to learn a new technique, etc.
Well-being and enjoyment of your life are key. Don't be afraid to talk about your kids, have hobbies, take vacations and days off, and be creative. You are already incredibly successful! Celebrate and enjoy yourself!