Meet the Woman Behind the Women in Medicine Summit in Chicago
Ahead of the annual Women in Medicine Summit at the Drake Hotel in Chicago this month, author Kimberly Sonnen sits down with the force behind a movement working to amplify the voices of women in medicine.
Dr. Shikha Jain holds many titles. She is an associate professor of hematology and oncology at the University of Illinois Chicago, director of communications strategies in medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago, associate director of oncology communications and digital innovation at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, and CEO and co-founder of the Illinois Medical Professionals Collaborative Task Force (IMPACT), which aims to combat misinformation and advocate for science-based policy.
As if that weren’t enough, in 2019, Jane founded the Women in Medicine Summit (and two years later, the nonprofit Women in Medicine). Jane was motivated to make women a priority after her personal experiences and data consistently showing that keeping women in healthcare and advancing them to leadership positions has a direct impact on the health of communities.
“There is a wealth of data that confirms that gender bias still exists, and it can be seen in leadership formation, salaries, rewards, and more,” she says. “There is also an abundance of data that confirms that these disparities have a direct detrimental impact on the health of our communities and the burnout of our health care workers.”
Jane’s motivation also stems from personal struggles and barriers she faced in her training and career—challenges that sometimes made her question her career ambitions. She says she was fortunate to have a strong support system, but often felt alone in the face of these adverse experiences.
She says that throughout her career, physician leaders advised her not to share these barriers and struggles with others for fear of retaliation. It was only through conversations with her peers that Jane realized that her experiences were not unique to her, but rather a story shared by many women in medicine.
The Women in Medicine Summit has grown year after year, and this year more than 500 people from around the world signed up to attend. Much of the organization’s growth has occurred during the pandemic. Early in the pandemic, female physicians reached out to Jane to ask if she could provide resources, education, and a virtual community to help female physicians stay connected as they navigated an uncharted medical landscape.
This has led to the launch of several specialized initiatives: the Women in Medicine Research Lab, a speakers’ bureau, longitudinal leadership programming, the Alliance for Male Leaders in Healthcare training, webinars, and more. The community now ranges from students to deans, trainees to CEOs, private practitioners to hospital staff and academics.
People's enthusiasm makes it clear, says Gene: “The current system is not working. We are at a watershed moment in our nation's history, and it's time to start modernizing our health care systems to fit the current climate.”
This year's summit includes a meeting of leaders from various medical disciplines, offering workshops, keynote speeches and panel discussions.
“The summit is not just an event, it is a movement that ignites change and inspires a new generation of women leaders in healthcare,” says Jane. “I envision our organization continuing to grow, providing opportunities for thought leadership, collaboration, support, education and improving the healthcare systems that we all depend on to keep us healthy.”
The Women in Medicine Summit takes place September 13-14 at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago. Sessions include reproductive planning, essay writing, financial planning and more.
Women's Initiatives in Medicine
1. Research Lab: Publishes data-driven solutions in peer-reviewed journals and the popular press.
2. Longitudinal Leadership Programming: Targets women in the early and mid-career, who are most likely to leave medicine or suffer from lack of visibility in their careers, leading to burnout.
3. Alliance Programming: Continuing education courses for male leaders in healthcare who desire inclusive leadership.
4. Speakers Bureau: Opportunities for women in medicine to speak nationally and be featured in the media.
5. Mentoring and Care During Career: Special programs for students to motivate them to pursue a career in medicine.
