Physicians from around Florida gathered in Jacksonville on April 4 for the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville’s Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) Leadership Conference. The event, co-sponsored by the Florida Medical Association (FMA), was organized by Madeline Joseph, MD, UF Associate Dean for Faculty and Engagement, along with WIMS Executive Committee Chair Tracy Ashby, DO, and Vice Chair Rachel Carpenter, MD.
The conference focused on the theme “Getting Unstuck – Crafting Your Journey to Work-Life Excellence.” Attendees participated in sessions led by various speakers and had opportunities for networking. Dr. Joseph opened the event with introductory remarks. FMA President Lisa Cosgrove, MD, addressed the importance of community among women physicians.
“The conference theme is spot on because our professional and personal lives are always in motion,” said Dr. Cosgrove. “As someone who raised three sons during my career as a practicing pediatrician, I can honestly say that one of the most important things you can do to meet those challenges is to remain in community with other physicians.” She emphasized that organized medicine provides connection as well as mentorship and inspiration from women leaders.
Dr. Cosgrove reflected on changes she has witnessed over her career: “I’m a third-generation physician who worked as a nurse at Miami Children’s Hospital before going to medical school,” she said. “When I started practicing medicine in 1984, women made up about 16 percent of the country’s physician workforce compared to 38 percent today.” She also noted that women now represent more than half of U.S. medical students: “To put that in perspective, there were two women in my father’s medical school class at the University of Arkansas.”
Following Dr. Cosgrove’s remarks, American Academy of Pediatrics President Susan Kressly, MD spoke about overcoming obstacles within healthcare careers.
“You need to get high enough to look down and see where the exits are for your personal and career trajectory,” said Dr. Kressly. She explained that while circumstances may be beyond control, individuals can choose their responses: “You can reframe how you think about things,” she said. “You can reframe your message when you’re trying to influence change in your organization or your personal life. You can decide how much you’re going to let others and other external forces personally impact you and put guardrails around how much it’s going to impact you.”
Dr. Kressly stressed staying connected to one’s purpose: “Know yourself; be honest with yourself,” she said. Using an analogy from nature she added: “Just like different plants need certain environments and nutrients to keep growing, I can be like a cactus, running on almost anything to survive – but if I’m planted in the wrong climate, I’m not going to thrive.”
She advised attendees on self-awareness: “Make sure that you’re getting a daily dose of something that fills your cup,” noting her own motivation comes from advocating for children and mentoring trainees: “There is nothing more satisfying as a leader than mentoring yourself out of a job.”
Dr. Kressly encouraged ongoing advocacy for patients: “Every opportunity that physicians don’t show up (for) is a lost chance to influence what happens for our patients,” she said.“You are planting seeds for the future. Every day you show up is a better day for patients.”
A panel discussion addressed family planning issues facing physicians including fertility preservation options presented by Samuel Brown, MD; an overview of fertility medications by Karen Whalen, PharmD; and Melissa Parsons-Tucker’s research showing higher infertility rates among female physicians compared with the general population.
Attendees also heard stories about balancing work-life demands—including experiences shared by Drs. Cosgrove and Bernard—highlighting research indicating 15-20% of female physicians are child-free.
Mindfulness workshops were offered alongside sessions such as an introduction to mindful eating led by psychiatrist Rachel Carpenter; appreciative inquiry techniques presented by Rania Sanford; mindfulness practice led by UF-Jacksonville psychiatry faculty; and exploration into AI image generation tools applied within medical education.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Dr.Joseph followed by networking opportunities among participants.The FMA expressed its intention continue collaborating with UF-Jacksonville for future WIMS conferences.
Rebekah Bernard,M.D.,a member of FMA Board Governors,and chairwoman,FMA Women’s Physician Committee,is also known as an author specializing physician wellness.She practices at Gulf Coast Direct Primary Care in Fort Myers.
