Career Development

An important function of Women in Medicine and Science is facilitating the career development of women faculty and junior faculty members as well as other faculty who demonstrate a commitment to supporting women and gender issues and equality in medicine and science. Various initiatives have been organized by the WIMS to carry out its missions, including the Xinspire Faculty Mentoring Program, general professional development opportunities, two career development programs, and identification of liaisons within each WFSM department to facilitate communication and disseminate information to faculty across the institution. These inclusive programs adhere to Wake Forest School of Medicine’s non-discrimination policies.

Career Development for Leaders (CDL) Program

This professional development fellowship began in January 2008. Modeled after national programs for women in academic medicine, the CDL program covers nine one-day sessions over months. Because national leadership programs are becoming increasingly competitive and expensive and only a few faculty members can benefit each year, the purposes of the cross-campus CDL program are to provide:

• An affordable, university-based leadership development program for faculty who are either currently in or aspire to leadership roles at Wake Forest
• A local, national-level-quality experience that allows more faculty to participate in leadership education
• An opportunity to bring women and allies together from diverse professional backgrounds (example: anesthesiology, cancer biology, theater, math) to exchange ideas and foster cross-campus collaboration.

Presenters are nationally and internationally known experts, executive coaches and senior Wake Forest University faculty and administrators. All presenters are highly respected in their content areas.

Faculty (mid- to senior-career preferred) and senior staff (Vice President level or equivalent) who demonstrate a commitment to supporting women and gender issues and equality in medicine and science are eligible to apply for the program. The call for applications opens annually in February/March for the program that begins the following September.

The Call for Applications for the 2022 – 2023 Career Development for Leaders (CDL) Program is now open!

Deadline for Application Submission – May 31, 2022

ALL application documents are to be submitted to Heather Whitley, Program Manager, via the following REDCap Survey

2022 – 2023 Career Development for Leaders (CDL) Program – Flier

2022 – 2023 Career Development for Leaders (CDL) Program – Schedule

2021 - 2022 CDL Program - Schedule and Topics

Graduate Analytics

• A total of faculty has graduated from the CDL program (2008 - 2021).

Early Career Development (ECD) Program

WIMS also sponsors the Early Career Development (ECD) Program. Targeted toward early-career faculty (instructors, clinical instructors, assistant professors and clinical assistant professors with a minimum appointment of 1 year at their current institution), the ECD program is modeled after the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Early Career Professional Development Seminar. The program consists of one session per month, January through June, for a total of 6 day-long sessions.

National Seminars are increasingly competitive and expensive.

The ECD program has several benefits:

1. The faculty member will not have to travel out of town.
2. The program is spread out over 6 months, causing less interruption in research and clinical responsibilities.
3. More faculty will be able to participate.
4. Cost is reasonable (modest tuition for the program and minimal/no travel expenses).
5. The program provides an opportunity for women and allies to come together from diverse professional backgrounds to exchange ideas and develop their networks further.

• 2022 ECD Program Schedule

The Career Development Selection and Review Committee selects program participants based on the following criteria:

1. Leadership experience and/or aspirations
2. Program fit with leadership goals
3. Service activities (institutional or outside of the institution)
4. Quality and professionalism of the application
5. Strength of the letter of support from the applicant’s Chair

In order to apply, the candidate must submit:

1. Application Form
2. Cover Letter (approximately one page) responding to the following: (a) Regarding your current career journey, what motivates you to apply for this program and why now? (b) What are your career goals and how can the ECD program help you to achieve these goals? (c) How you demonstrate an interest or commitment in supporting women in medicine and gender issues and equality; and (d) If there is any additional pertinent information that would be useful in evaluating your application, please detail it in this letter. Please be clear and concise.
   
3. Current CV
4. A strong and comprehensive letter of support from the candidate’s department chair and/or section chief should: (a) address the applicants fit for the program, detail the candidate strengths and how the candidate would benefit from participation in the program at this time (b) include a statement that allows the candidate release time for the program. This statement is particularly important since those accepted into the program must attend all sessions to receive the certificate of achievement.

Please contact Heather Whitley, ECD Program Manager, if you have any questions.

Departmental Liaisons

Designated faculty serve as a connection between WIMS and the departments within Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

They also:

• Assist in the recruitment of women faculty and faculty who have an interest in or commitment to supporting women in medicine and gender issues and equality. Departmental liaisons notify WIMS when such faculty candidates are being interviewed in their department, so someone from the office can be included in the interview process or provide written material on our programming.
• Facilitate the development of women faculty and faculty who have an interest in or commitment to supporting women in medicine and gender issues and equality in each department.
• Encourage faculty in each department to attend WIMS functions by making announcements at faculty meetings or by sharing notices with the relevant audience.
• Bring to WIMS any concerns about mentoring of faculty and leadership roles for women faculty and faculty who have an interest in or commitment to supporting women in medicine and gender issues and equality in the department.