Opportunities for Women in Leadership (OWL)

The Opportunities for Women in Leadership (OWL) Program is a longitudinal mentorship program supported by New York ACEP with the goal of promoting the advancement of women in Emergency Medicine. In line with the organization’s commitment toward diversity and inclusion, the program aims to provide leadership education, establish local and regional mentorship networks and create sponsorship opportunities for six New York ACEP members at different career stages. What follows are the accomplishments of the participants over the course of the year, written jointly by each mentor-mentee pair. For more information about the OWL Program, please contact nyacep@nyacep.org.

Mentee: Dorothy Y. Shi, MD

Mentor: Penelope Lema, MD FACEP

I did not know what to expect when I applied to OWL as I had never been part of a formalized mentorship program. After meeting with Penny and the rest of the OWL team, it was evident to me that I was going to be part of a unique learning experience. From evidence-based teaching to personal anecdotes shared by both mentors and mentees, I was guided on how to navigate my role as a junior faculty member to gain more leadership experience. During our monthly sessions, Penny helped me learn more about myself and how to develop a niche within my sub-specialty experience of emergency ultrasound and within the department. I was able to submit an ultrasound article for publication in NYACEP EPIC and provided the tools to navigate ultrasound billing and reimbursement. I acquired many strong female mentors, all of whom were so supportive and interested in helping women faculty and residents advance both professionally and personally. During the year, I also became pregnant with twins and received so much warmth and practical advice from everyone on how to pilot through the next phase of life while balancing professional responsibilities. Most importantly I felt validated in prioritizing what was best for myself despite pressures from society to quickly ascend the professional ladder.

Thank you to all of the inspirational women of the OWL group. I am excited to see the program continue!

Mentee: Leidy Johana Gonzalez, MD

Mentor: Irina Sanjeevan-Caveza, MD

The OWL program was a lovely surprise and a unique experience to be part of. It has taught me different areas of growth throughout the year. Specifically, it has improved my sense of confidence and helped me to better identify my career interests and life priorities.

I started as a PGY2 in the program, feeling very self-aware of many circumstances that later on started to change in perspective. I learned that being an IMG and having the experiences I’ve been through is actually a strong asset for my career and possible future in global health. It was a great pleasure to see and learn from all the amazing and strong women I met via OWL and I hope I can continue learning from them and someday empower other women as much as they do. For now, I’m trying to contribute my little grain of sand where and when I have the chance.

Mentee: Shelby Parker, MD MPH EMT-P

Mentor: Lauren M. Maloney, MD NRP FP-C CIC NCEE

Shelby: I started the OWL program just as I was entering my second year of residency – I had big goals for this year and it was a wonderful opportunity to be paired with a mentor who could give me support and guidance as I worked to achieve them. I was paired with Dr. Lauren Maloney, who is an EMS physician in New York, and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor! She gave me great advice about the EMS fellowship application process, and we were even able to meet up in person at the EMS physician conference in Tampa this year where she helped me make some great career connections.

Not only did I have a great mentor in Dr. Maloney, but also in the other amazing female mentors and mentees within the program. Thanks to Dr. Arlene Chung, I was able to secure an away rotation at Gallup Indian Medical Center in my home state of New Mexico, allowing me to gain early exposure to a rural/tribal healthcare service where I might like to work some day. I also received excellent guidance from the group about how to stop over-committing and politely say ‘no’ to opportunities that do not directly advance my career goals, and doing so paved the way for me to obtain my current position as Chief Resident during my final year of residency.

Lauren: As a mentor, it has been amazing to see the community of support embrace not only the mentees but the mentors as well. It’s crucial that mentorship is a two-way street – so much to be learned and appreciated in either direction. Getting to pay forward advice that has helped me immensely most certainly leaves my heart quite happy!

Mentee: Jennifer S. Love, MD

Mentor: Brenna Farmer, MD MBA MS

Participation in the OWL program this year came during a year of many transitions (finding a job in NYC, giving birth to a second child) and helped ground me into a community of female physicians in New York. My favorite part of the OWL program was the monthly meetings where each mentee reviewed their monthly achievements, future goals, and questions to the group. I love how the group took the time and space to celebrate each mentee in the program– so often we only see our deficiencies and forget to take time to reflect on all our accomplishments. I also enjoyed witnessing the collaborations and teamwork that grew in the group — one mentee secured a dream job with her mentor, another team of mentees & mentors co-authored a publication, and a book club idea sprang from the meetings. I deeply appreciated the connectedness that was cultivated among all of the women in this group — that I can reach out to many of them with future questions, research ideas, and work-life balance consultations. My mentor and I brainstormed ideas on how we can teach and grow some of the topics into our specialized toxicology niche for women in tox. I look forward to continuing to support the OWL program as a member of NY ACEP and NYC physician in the future.

Mentee: Sarah Lee, MD

Mentor: Arlene Chung, MD MACM FACEP

I started my final year of residency with high hopes and big aspirations. I wanted to leave my mark in the program as a standout conference chief resident who elevated resident education, promoted program wellness, and supported my co-residents both in and out of work. I also wanted to soak up as much learning as I could in my last year, both clinically and in career navigation. I was overjoyed to participate in the OWL program because I knew I would have the chance to learn from inspirational and accomplished women who had all been in my shoes before. Throughout the year, I was able to meet with my endlessly patient OWL mentor as I grappled with the first real job search of my whole life as well as finding the delicate balance between my clinical work and chief duties.

Over Thai food and coffee, Arlene would ask me the same question periodically over the course of months: “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Each time, my answer felt like it would change. But with each OWL session during the year, I felt I was slowly finding pieces of self-discovery, building a vision of what I pictured for myself in the future. At the crossroads between two jobs, I received invaluable advice from the entire OWL group of leaders that helped me make my final decision.

With Arlene’s mentorship and the guidance of OWL, I have met my goals of lecturing both regionally and nationally at ACEP. I feel deeply fulfilled by my last year and the legacy I am leaving behind as I graduate into the next steps of attending-hood.