Build Reputation, Build Character: Notes From an Address by Nanette Wenger, MD, MACC, at ACC.22

The WIC Lounge at ACC.22 had a stimulating start with an interactive session titled, “Building Reputation (and Leadership)” by the legendary Nanette Wenger, MD, MACC. Hosted by the dynamic ACC WIC ex-chair, Toniya Singh, MBBS, FACC, Wenger shared her experience and addressed key elements to help women build a credible name for themselves. She started off with a mantra, “Listen, learn, decide, act,” and shared simple steps to help women explore any situation effectively. Her master class shared important virtues which would help a woman grow upward, inward and inspire growth in others to become admirable leaders.

Grow upward

  • Earn faith among patients by being empathic, nonjudgmental, and compassionate. Invest in understanding different cultures.
  • Establish trust by being honest, respectful, and committed. Strive to maintain consistency in conversations.
  • Achieve excellence by keeping a mindset of lifelong learning. Set high standards for yourself.
  • Look at problems from a different lens; emphasize on solving by simplifying.
  • Build relationships by being collaborative. Participate in professional societies like ACC.
  • Communicate ideas and values in a clear and effective manner and do not let your passion go unnoticed.

Grow inward

  • Be mindful of personal strengths and weaknesses.
  • Maintain self-respect and dignity. Value yourself.
  • Try to identify and eliminate unconscious biases towards people and situations.
  • Be ethical while maintaining civic responsibility.
  • Develop work-life synergy by assuring time with family and self. Enjoy life in general!

Inspire growth

  • Have a vision and inspire others by motivating and mentoring when possible. Articulate your aspirations.
  • Always be open to change; encourage strategic thinking and innovation.
  • Compete well. Enjoy the challenge, fight fair with dignity and win well.
  • Convey appreciation when due.
  • Encourage inclusiveness and cross-cultural communication.

The talk was followed by a refreshing Q&A where women in the audience, ranging from medical students to late-career cardiologists, interacted directly with Dr Wenger. She gave valuable advice on various relatable problems, be it balancing parenthood with a successful career or facing gender-based exclusion and microaggressions at work.

After attending my very first ACC Scientific Session as an IM resident and an aspiring cardiologist, I gained perspective into what it means to be a woman in cardiology. I realized I am looking forward to a lifetime of growth and experience beyond academic success by choosing a career in cardiology. By spending time and interacting with my role models, I understood that to build a great reputation, a woman needs to build great character. The WIC lounge at ACC.22 instilled a sense of belonging in women like myself and provided a unique opportunity for them to seek guidance and feel supported. I left the talk feeling confident, inspired, and empowered.

 

 

This article was authored by Sanskriti Shrivastava, MBBS, an internal medicine resident at the Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

This content was developed independently from the content developed for ACC.org. This content was not reviewed by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for medical accuracy and the content is provided on an "as is" basis. Inclusion on ACC.org does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement by the ACC and ACC makes no warranty that the content is accurate, complete or error-free. The content is not a substitute for personalized medical advice and is not intended to be used as the sole basis for making individualized medical or health-related decisions. Statements or opinions expressed in this content reflect the views of the authors and do not reflect the official policy of ACC.

Cardiology