This article was authored by Nidhi Madan, MD, Fellow in Training (FIT) at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL

Times like these are so precious!

The Women in Cardiology (WIC) Section of the New York State Chapter of the ACC convened a panel discussion at the Yale Club in New York on May 13, 2017. The discussion was about mutual collaboration, networking, common issues and exchange of ideas amongst female cardiologists.

The panel discussion started with a warm welcome by Smadar Kort, MD, FACC, the chair of the NY WIC, as well as the host and moderator for the program. She began by highlighting the goals of the WIC Section and how it has grown and evolved over time. Kort also shared her experiences in cardiology training and practice. Stacey Rosen, MD, FACC, VP for Women’s Health at the Katz Institute for Women’s Health, Northwell Health, further discussed the art of effective leadership, negotiation, self-advocacy and the pivotal role played both by mentors and sponsors to promote one’s career. Sandra Lewis, MD, FACC, the Immediate Past Chair of ACC’s WIC, shared some examples from her personal experiences. She provided valuable insight into the changes in the field since she started fellowship with only three other females in her class (they called themselves “fellowettes!”) to now, when cardiology has become much more accessible for women. Rachana Kulkarni, MD, FACC, Chair of Medicor Cardiology and Cardiologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, with a rewarding career in private practice, further shed light on the professional challenges faced by female cardiologists. There was an interesting discussion about maintaining an effective work-life balance.

The passion towards cardiology that these women behold in their hearts, despite all the hardship and challenges, is certainly awe-inspiring.

The meeting was interactive and highly insightful. The enthusiasm of the participants and the leaders about the topic was astounding. The FITs and women in all stages of their careers had the amazing opportunity to engage with and seek advice from these established women while enjoying a delicious dinner.

With such a motivated group of participants and facilitators, it was hard to call it a day! I hope all of you who had the opportunity to be with us enjoyed and learned something you can put to use at your career stage. To those who could not join us, we hope to put on similar events in the future to continue our mission to provide valuable tools and career advice that can help women achieve success. Voicing the commitment of ACC’s WIC section, we encourage more female cardiologists to attend future meetings and continue to inspire and nurture the next generation of female leaders.