Women in Otolaryngology (WIO), a group of female otolaryngology attendings and trainees at UPMC created in 2021, meets to discuss the challenges that female surgeons face in the field. Part of a much larger national group that is part of the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, WIO brings in outside speakers to provide knowledge, insight, support, and mentorship.
In the last academic year, the two speakers were Dr. Amber Luong, MD, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and Dr. Carol Bradford, MD, MS, Professor and Dean, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and Vice President for Health Sciences, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“These speakers spent their time meeting with our group, sharing their careers, providing guidance for navigating training and career building, how to find mentorship and sponsorship, and answered our questions,” said Dr. Amanda Stapleton, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Director, Center for Sinonasal and Rhinology Disorders, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, and Director, Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program.
WIO also had its annual retreat and a WIO moment at the Pennsylvania Association of Otolaryngology meeting, where some members met with Dr. Sujana Chandrashakur, past president of the Academy.