WLA Started in 2021

In 2021, MESF was awarded funding by the Physicians Foundation for two years to develop a Women’s Physician Leadership Academy. Originally planned for in person seminars, the program was reformatted to be a series of webinars, held over several weekends in Spring and Fall sessions. The program is for all women physicians, including residents, and medical students and focused on (1) physician wellness; (2) advocacy for physicians, including legislative advocacy; (3) emotional intelligence and identifying and overcoming personal barriers; (4) communication skills; (5) executive leadership and the C-Suite; (6) the importance of positivity and networking;  (7) overcoming microaggressions; (8) other course work the Planning Committee deems relevant.

( You must create a free account to access the programs )

First Year Topics Included:

“Albany, Women Physicians and Their Legislative Impact,” “How Do CEOs and Medical Administrators Deal with Women Physicians?” and “Wellness and Women Physicians.”

March 2024 Topics:

Topics offered in March of 2024 include:

  • The Importance of Networking
  • Enhancing Physician Wellness and Belonging
  • Designing your Medical Career.

Educational objectives for the series:

  • Describe methods to improve women physicians’ communications skills within work or professional settings including the C-Suite
  • Identify professional skills to enhance advocacy of self and the development of professional networking
  • Develop leadership skills; and Outline methods to enhance physician wellness.

Julie Silver, MD: Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School; Associate Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network will facilitate the sessions.

Available Sessions

The Women Physicians Leadership Academy Programs now has Sessions available for 2023, 2024, and 2025.   The Sessions cover a wide range of topics and are CME accredited.  All are free of charge and on the MSSNY Website.

Programs include: 

  • Advocacy and Changemaking;
  • Effective Communication;
  • Leading Through Challenging Times
  • Enhancing Physician Wellness and Wellbeing;
  • Effective Communication,
  • Advocacy and Changemaking;
  • Leadership;
  • The Importance of Networking, Enhancing Physician Wellness and Belonging;  and
  • Designing Your Medical Career.

The Academy has been received extremely well by women physicians and is posted online for continued educational purposes.

In concert with their mission of improving the public health, in 2024: MESF will be creating a series of videos and podcasts based on reliable, evidence-based, scientifically sound information. to support physician and public education!