What’s the news: Early to midcareer women physicians with a passion for well-being, health equity and leadership should consider applying now to take part in a 15-month project that is a collaborative effort among the AMA and nine national associations representing physicians and other health care stakeholders.
The Women’s Wellbeing through Equity and Leadership (WEL) project is seeking a diverse group of women physicians who will engage in networking, mentorship and training on well-being, equity and leadership. The project will foster the development of the next wave of women physician leaders to build healthier, more equitable work environments and experiences.
As one of the partners in the Women’s Wellness through Equity and Leadership Alliance, the AMA is seeking a diverse group of applicants for its three available spots. The project encourages a broad definition of diversity. In addition to the more traditional definitions of diversity, such as race, ethnicity and ability, the project includes diversity of geographic location, parenting or military status, and physician specialties or subspecialties.
Applicants must be willing to commit to this 15-month opportunity, which begins with a required in-person meeting Feb. 20–21, 2024, at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) headquarters in Itasca, Illinois.
In addition to that meeting, the curriculum consists of:
- A second required in-person meeting, also at AAP HQ, in April 2025.
- Two required two-day virtual meetings in August and December 2024.
- Monthly webinars starting in March 2024.
- Participation in mentorship and evaluation activities.
Applications will be accepted through Oct. 27, and the AMA will fund travel-related expenses of the three AMA WEL Scholars to attend the two in-person meetings at the AAP’s Illinois headquarters. Apply now.
Why it’s important: Women physicians are experiencing burnout at higher rates than their male counterparts. As the demands of the health care industry continue to escalate, exclusive survey data from the AMA suggests that women physicians are facing a unique set of challenges that contribute to heightened levels of burnout.
More than 13,000 responses from physicians and nonphysician providers across 30 states were received from more than 70 health systems that participated in the AMA’s Organizational Biopsy® (PDF). For 2022, 57% of female respondents reported at least one symptom of burnout. Among male respondents, by contrast, 47% reported experiencing burnout. And one reason for high burnout rates among women, according to AMA data, is work overload.
Learn more: The WEL project is funded by a grant from the Physicians Foundation. Along with the AMA, the other WEL partner organizations are the:
- American Academy of Pediatrics.
- American Academy of Family Physicians.
- American College of Physicians.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- American Hospital Association.
- American Medical Women’s Association.
- American Psychiatric Association.
- National Hispanic Medical Association.
- National Medical Association.
Watch this short video featuring participants in the inaugural WEL cohort to learn why they found the project valuable.
