As we celebrate women in hospital medicine we recognize the work they do to promote, mentor, encourage, and empathize with other women. We can all relate to their stories and journeys.
I still remember my first SHM annual conference in National Harbor, Md., sitting at a breakfast table and debating in my mind if I should fly home a little earlier than planned to attend “Muffins for Moms” at my then-four-year-old twins’ school. It was causing me much internal stress to consider potentially missing some amazing professional development or missing an important event for my children. To me, that memory is a powerful representation of the daily choices we all make to balance our professional and family obligations, and how important striking balance is for all of us.
I bring that up today, because now, many years later, with older, more self-sufficient children, my balancing act has changed. It’s a little bit easier, but I don’t want to forget that others are facing similar choices—and it’s helpful when I can lend an ear to the choices my team faces and help them with decisions that impact personal and professional growth.
I recently shared my thoughts on successful leadership and the attributes I find most important with the pediatric hospital medicine community at PHM 2023. I have recognized that my college cross-country coach taught me much about leadership that I still use today as a hospital leader: the importance of authenticity, engagement, and a commitment to bring together your community and your network, all while remaining positive and flexible. These have been keys to my own personal leadership journey. Growing as a leader has meant making significant, concerted efforts to focus on skills that will enhance my leadership abilities. I encourage you to do the same. One great way would be participating in the SHM Leadership Academy next month in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Over the past few years, the medical profession as a whole has experienced a paradigm shift toward gender inclusivity. In 2023, women have earned their place as essential leaders in the field of hospital medicine. Not only have they made significant strides in representation, but they have also thrived in leadership roles.
To me, as a woman in leadership in hospital medicine, this means helping my team accomplish more than we could alone. It requires harnessing our energies to work together to provide excellent clinical care, improve systems, educate our future generation of physicians and care providers, and create new and powerful knowledge through research to advance our abilities to care. Women have broken through barriers and risen to prominent positions, bringing fresh perspectives and invaluable expertise to the forefront across many domains in medicine. While doing this, we still find ways to lift each other up as we seek out that sweet spot in our own balancing acts. This is most certainly true in our hospital medicine community.
I’m proud to serve SHM as the current president and to celebrate the diversity of our board, leaders, and membership, now and in the years ahead, as we support you on your professional journey.
I look forward to the opportunities to visit many chapters and local SHM-supported events this month to talk with members like you about leadership in your home environments, with the goal to continue advancing equity and diversity, in gender and beyond.
Dr. Rehm
Dr. Rehm is the associate chief medical officer of children’s services in the department of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.