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WISE program recruits women into
surgery
by Mary
Helen Yarborough
Public
Relations
One medical student’s misery has become the inspiration of a unique
program at MUSC to recruit women into surgery.
Erika Manning was in her second year at MUSC facing information
overload from the mounds of material and medical facts that constantly
bombarded her. Like many other early-year med students, Manning started
to wonder, “Why do I have to know all of this stuff and what do I do
with it?
“I hated it. I was having to memorize all of this stuff. I was
miserable,” recalled the fourth-year student. Sipping a glass of Chai
tea in the lull of the afternoon at Port City Java, Manning talked
about how her unhappiness became a defining moment for her and
ultimately spawned somewhat of a rescue mission for many other young
MUSC students.
But Manning had some help from a brother and father, both surgeons in
Greenville. “My brother, Benji [Manning] is a trauma surgeon currently
at Greenville Memorial. He told me that every first and second year med
student has moments when having to memorize the barrage of information
becomes too much.”
So Benjamin Manning suggested that his younger sister shadow, or
follow-along, an MUSC surgeon that would enable her to apply the
memorized facts to real situations. He also recommended that Manning
contact Carolyn Reed, M.D., chair of the American Board of Thoracic
Surgery and attending MUSC surgeon.
To Manning’s delight, and amazement, Reed embraced the concept of a
shadowing program for female med students that seek a career in
surgery.
“We want to increase women’s interest in surgery,” Reed said. “If you
look at the statistics, about half or more of med students are women,
but only 5 percent of women are in general surgery residency. …In
surgical specialties, it’s .2 percent [women].”
Though surgery candidates are down regardless of sex, few women enter
the field because of the perceived toll it takes on personal lives and
families. “Surgery has always been considered a male- dominated field,”
said Reed, who endured some challenges and insults from male peers who
were reluctant to accept women in the field.” In order to fill the
vacancies in surgical specialties, medical schools would be wise to
recruit the largest untapped source of candidates.
When Manning’s experience shadowing Reed virtually reinforced her
desire to enter the field of surgery, the two women helped expand the
shadowing program as a way to recruit women into surgery.
“I followed [Dr. Reed] into both her clinics and into the operating
room. My brother had helped me get in touch with her and I had no idea
of her background and prestige,” said Manning, wincing in humility when
she found out the stature and accomplishments of Reed. “She just
welcomed me into her office and into the OR. The whole day, she put up
with me. She is a great teacher. She made all that I was having to
memorize make sense.”
That shadowing program at MUSC, called the Women in Surgery Experience
(WISE), ultimately earned Manning the Pat Numann MD Medical Student
Award at the annual conference of the Association of Women Surgeons in
San Francisco last fall. The MUSC program may be the only one of its
kind in the nation, according to Reed.
In less than three years that WISE has been in existence, more than two
dozen young women have been introduced to surgeons and real-life
surgical experiences in their early medical student lives. WISE
currently has 29 members and a team of noted MUSC surgeons eager to
help groom the students and guide them to a surgical career.
WISE
conference
For the first time, WISE is holding a conference April 22 where
surgeons will speak to young medical students and the public about the
life of a surgeon, and why it so important that more people enter the
field (see condensed agenda below).
But Manning is quick to note that she is not the only one who made WISE
possible. Fellow fourth-year med student, Jennifer Zile, also helped
start and grow the program that Manning hopes will become a model for
the rest of the nation and world.
“Myra Haney in the dean’s office and Dr. Amy Blue, one of our deans,
have been just plain amazing,” Manning said in speaking of the enormous
support she and her fellow WISE founders have encountered. “Both of
them have been very supportive of my endeavors, and are just really
nice folks.”
Zile, a WISE co-founder, also expressed what the experience has
meant to her and others.
“We wanted to open doors for first and second years to easily and
without anxiety to talk to, interact with, and get to know surgeons,
their lifestyles, and careers early on,” Zile said. “This would enable
them to see for themselves firsthand if surgery was the right career
for them.”
Zile describes her early apprehension about approaching surgeons.
“This was hard for me to do as a first and second year medical student
because going up to a surgeon out of the blue was intimidating for me,
especially as a woman,” Zile said. “Now, first and second year students
get to go into the clinics with some of our outstanding attending
surgeons at MUSC in all fields and then follow them in the OR as well.
I only wish that I had this opportunity as a first or second year. The
female attendings and residents have been incredibly supportive and
encouraging to each of us, inspiring us to reach for our goals and
dreams of becoming the surgeons we strive to become despite being a
woman in a male-dominated field.”
Zile and Manning also discussed the goal of using WISE to introduce the
field to high school and college students who may not have considered
medicine, let alone surgery.
“We are striving to reach out to the greater community beyond MUSC,”
Zile explained. “We have put together a talk for middle school and high
school students to encourage them to go into the medical field and
consider surgery as a specialty. We want all of the young women of the
Lowcountry to feel welcome in the surgical world and encouraged to
follow their dreams.”
WISE representatives recently visited James Island Charter High School
and talked with one of their health sciences classes.
“It was a wonderful experience that was enjoyable for everyone
involved,” Zile recalled. “We were able to bring some of the sterile
surgical gear for them to try on and pretend to go into the OR—gloves,
gowns, masks, etc. We showed them how to tie knots and even a video of
a laparoscopic surgery. We had a great time and the students really got
interested in the field of surgery, which was our goal. We got a
thank-you card from everyone in the class and quite a few young women
wrote that they were inspired to keep their grades up and go for their
goal of becoming doctors.”
WISE intends to expand the outreach program to the underprivileged
areas of the Lowcountry to reach students who don’t have access to
large hospitals such as MUSC, Zile said.
Firsthand
experience
Deanna Mansker is a fourth year medical student who matched in general
surgery at MUSC. She said she always wanted to become a surgeon, but
wasn’t quite sure how to go about doing it.
“During my second year of medical school, I found out about WISE,”
Mansker said. “It sounded interesting, so I decided to check it out.
After asking about my career goals, WISE set me up with a very
prominent female CT surgeon. She invited me to visit her OR and observe
an esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.”
Observance wasn’t her only experience.
“Did I say observe? Sorry, I meant ‘help.’ I was scrubbed in, getting
my hands dirty, feeling the aorta and spine, holding retractors, and
sucking blood! What an amazing feeling! There’s a huge difference from
‘observing’ and actually being part of the action,” Mansker said.
“After such a wonderful experience, I chose to work with this surgeon
during my third year surgery core. She allowed me to come to her
clinic,” she said. “There, I watched as she discussed the benefits and
harms of surgery with her patients. During that month, I followed one
patient from clinic, through his surgery, to the ICU, to the floor, and
out the door.
“Who says surgeons don’t get continuity of care?” Mansker continued.
“This surgeon became my advisor and played a crucial role during my
residency application and interview process. She provided me expert
advice as well as opinions on my CV and personal statement. I had a
phenomenal experience with her, and I look forward to working with her
for the next five to six years.”
Meanwhile, med student Frances Cate has been shadowing Patrick O’Neill,
M.D., in plastic surgery.
“I followed him on rounds, seeing new patients and checking up on those
he had operated on,” Cate said. “One of the cases that really touched
me was when the doctor was following up on a patient who had had
esophageal cancer. Dr. O’Neil had completely reconstructed the
esophagus from a flap of skin, and the patient was so thrilled to be
able to eat food again and not have to use the feeding tube. I really
enjoyed seeing how surgery can help patients and change lives.”
For more information about WISE, e-mail zile@musc.edu; or
manninge@musc.edu.
WISE
Surgery Educational Conference
8 a.m., Saturday, April 22
Peter Gazes Auditorium
114 Doughty Street
8:30-9:30 a.m.—Surgical Career Options. General Surgery, Wendy Cornett,
M.D.; Urological Surgery, Thomas Keane, M.D.; Otolaryngology, Judith
Skoner, M.D.; Pediatric Surgery, Charles Smith, M.D.; and Vascular
Surgery, Thomas Brothers, M.D.
9:45-10:45 a.m.—The Match Process. How We Do It at MUSC, Thomas
Brothers, M.D., and Jennie Ariail, Ph.D.
11a.m.–12:30 p.m. Surgical Career Options. Trauma Surgery, Douglass
Norcross, M.D.; Cardiothoracic Surgery, Carolyn Reed, M.D.; Transplant
Surgery, Dr. Angello Lin; Orthopedic Surgery, Kathleen Hogan, M.D.;
Neurological Surgery, Sunil Patel, M.D., and Tanya Bryant, M.D.;
Gastrointestinal Surgery, Katherine Morgan, M.D.
12:30-1 p.m. Balancing Personal and Career Roles. Meet with attendings
and residents—organized by specialty and interest
2-2:30 p.m. Surgical Practice Opportunities. Surgery in the community,
Elizabeth Kline, M.D.; Surgery in academic practice, David Cole, M.D.
Friday, April 14, 2006
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