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Retirement Planning for Gastroenterologists
Retirement planning starts the day we start our careers. Whenever we start any project, it is always worthwhile to learn how the project works, what we want to pursue and achieve with the project, how to exit the project, and when is the right time to exit.
As physicians, gastroenterologists go through several years of vigorous training, years spent studying, researching, practicing, and juggling between work and life, trying to lead a well-balanced life. With all the years of medical training, we do not get the same level of education in financial planning in order to attain financial stability, financial empowerment, or resources that we need to put in place for a successful retirement.
Many physicians like to work and provide services as long as they can, provided the physical and mental capacity permits. Retirement planning should start as early as possible — at your first job, with the first paycheck. Having a strategic plan and understanding several personal factors can help one make this journey successful.
Financial Planning
Financial planning starts with investments in 401k, IRA, defined benefit, and defined contribution plans, as early as possible and to the maximum extent possible. It is beneficial to contribute at the first opportunity and contribute enough to the employer retirement plan to earn the full employer match. Also consider capital investment opportunities that match your risk appetite and returns, as these compound and grow over time. This can be done by adjusting personal expenses and lifestyle, giving priority to savings and future wealth management, and auto-escalation of permitted retirement contributions annually.
Assessing your financial situation periodically to determine retirement needs based on how long you intend to work and preferred lifestyle post retirement (travel, leisurely activities, etc.) is important. It is also pertinent to align revenue earned, expenses made, and wealth saved to support post-retirement life. Consider hiring a financial advisor who has the best interests in your personal wealth management. These are usually found with reputable institutions at a fixed percentage cost. Finding a trustworthy knowledgeable advisor is the key. Learning from your colleagues, networking, and learning from friends in and out of healthcare are good resources to find the right financial advisor.
Healthcare expenses should be planned as well as part of financial planning. Short-term and long-term disability and long-term care expenses should be investigated when planning for healthcare needs.
Transition Planning
Timing of retirement is based on factors such as age, financial status, personal health and preferences. The transition can be facilitated by better communication with colleagues, partners, employer, staff, and patients. Identifying a successor and planning for continuity of care of the patients, such as transitioning patients to another provider, is important as well. This may involve hiring a new associate, merging with another practice, or selling the practice.
Healthcare Coverage
One of the biggest expenses with retirement is healthcare coverage. Healthcare coverage options need to be analyzed which may include Medicare eligibility, enrollment, potential needs after retirement, including preventative care, treatment of chronic conditions, long term care services, and unexpected health outcomes and consequences.
Lifestyle and Travel Planning
Reflect on the retirement lifestyle, hobbies, and passions to be explored. Some activities like volunteer work, continuing educational opportunities, and advisory work, will help maintain physical and mental health. Consider downsizing living arrangements to align with retirement lifestyle goals which may include relocating to a different area as it fits your needs.
Legal and Estate Planning
Review and update legal documents including power of attorney, healthcare directives, will, trusts, and periodically ensure that these documents reflect your wishes.
Professional Development
Retirement may not mean quitting work completely. Some may look at this as an opportunity for professional development and pivoting to a different career that suits their lifestyle and needs. Gastroenterologists may contribute to the field and stay connected by being mentors, advisors, or, industry partners; being involved in national organizations; leading purposeful projects; or teaching part-time or on a volunteer basis.
Emotional and Social Support
Being a physician and a leader on treatment teams after so many years, some may feel lonely and unproductive with a lack of purpose in retirement; while others are excited about the free time they gained to pursue other activities and projects.
The process can be emotionally challenging even for well-prepared individuals. Finding friends, family, and professionals who can support you through this process will be helpful as you go through the uncertainties, anxiety, and fear during this phase of life. Think of developing hobbies and interests and nurturing networks outside of work environment that will keep you engaged and content during this transition.
Gastroenterologists can plan for a financially secure, emotionally fulfilling, and professionally satisfying transition tailored to their needs and preferences. Seeking help from financial advisors, legal experts, mentors, and other professionals who can provide valuable advice, support, and guidance is crucial during this process.
Do what you love and love what you do.
Dr. Appalaneni is a gastroenterologist at Dayton Gastroenterology in Beavercreek, Ohio, and a clinical assistant professor at Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. This article is not a financial planning document, nor legal advice; these are the author’s learnings, experiences, and opinions and are not considered financial advice.
Retirement planning starts the day we start our careers. Whenever we start any project, it is always worthwhile to learn how the project works, what we want to pursue and achieve with the project, how to exit the project, and when is the right time to exit.
As physicians, gastroenterologists go through several years of vigorous training, years spent studying, researching, practicing, and juggling between work and life, trying to lead a well-balanced life. With all the years of medical training, we do not get the same level of education in financial planning in order to attain financial stability, financial empowerment, or resources that we need to put in place for a successful retirement.
Many physicians like to work and provide services as long as they can, provided the physical and mental capacity permits. Retirement planning should start as early as possible — at your first job, with the first paycheck. Having a strategic plan and understanding several personal factors can help one make this journey successful.
Financial Planning
Financial planning starts with investments in 401k, IRA, defined benefit, and defined contribution plans, as early as possible and to the maximum extent possible. It is beneficial to contribute at the first opportunity and contribute enough to the employer retirement plan to earn the full employer match. Also consider capital investment opportunities that match your risk appetite and returns, as these compound and grow over time. This can be done by adjusting personal expenses and lifestyle, giving priority to savings and future wealth management, and auto-escalation of permitted retirement contributions annually.
Assessing your financial situation periodically to determine retirement needs based on how long you intend to work and preferred lifestyle post retirement (travel, leisurely activities, etc.) is important. It is also pertinent to align revenue earned, expenses made, and wealth saved to support post-retirement life. Consider hiring a financial advisor who has the best interests in your personal wealth management. These are usually found with reputable institutions at a fixed percentage cost. Finding a trustworthy knowledgeable advisor is the key. Learning from your colleagues, networking, and learning from friends in and out of healthcare are good resources to find the right financial advisor.
Healthcare expenses should be planned as well as part of financial planning. Short-term and long-term disability and long-term care expenses should be investigated when planning for healthcare needs.
Transition Planning
Timing of retirement is based on factors such as age, financial status, personal health and preferences. The transition can be facilitated by better communication with colleagues, partners, employer, staff, and patients. Identifying a successor and planning for continuity of care of the patients, such as transitioning patients to another provider, is important as well. This may involve hiring a new associate, merging with another practice, or selling the practice.
Healthcare Coverage
One of the biggest expenses with retirement is healthcare coverage. Healthcare coverage options need to be analyzed which may include Medicare eligibility, enrollment, potential needs after retirement, including preventative care, treatment of chronic conditions, long term care services, and unexpected health outcomes and consequences.
Lifestyle and Travel Planning
Reflect on the retirement lifestyle, hobbies, and passions to be explored. Some activities like volunteer work, continuing educational opportunities, and advisory work, will help maintain physical and mental health. Consider downsizing living arrangements to align with retirement lifestyle goals which may include relocating to a different area as it fits your needs.
Legal and Estate Planning
Review and update legal documents including power of attorney, healthcare directives, will, trusts, and periodically ensure that these documents reflect your wishes.
Professional Development
Retirement may not mean quitting work completely. Some may look at this as an opportunity for professional development and pivoting to a different career that suits their lifestyle and needs. Gastroenterologists may contribute to the field and stay connected by being mentors, advisors, or, industry partners; being involved in national organizations; leading purposeful projects; or teaching part-time or on a volunteer basis.
Emotional and Social Support
Being a physician and a leader on treatment teams after so many years, some may feel lonely and unproductive with a lack of purpose in retirement; while others are excited about the free time they gained to pursue other activities and projects.
The process can be emotionally challenging even for well-prepared individuals. Finding friends, family, and professionals who can support you through this process will be helpful as you go through the uncertainties, anxiety, and fear during this phase of life. Think of developing hobbies and interests and nurturing networks outside of work environment that will keep you engaged and content during this transition.
Gastroenterologists can plan for a financially secure, emotionally fulfilling, and professionally satisfying transition tailored to their needs and preferences. Seeking help from financial advisors, legal experts, mentors, and other professionals who can provide valuable advice, support, and guidance is crucial during this process.
Do what you love and love what you do.
Dr. Appalaneni is a gastroenterologist at Dayton Gastroenterology in Beavercreek, Ohio, and a clinical assistant professor at Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. This article is not a financial planning document, nor legal advice; these are the author’s learnings, experiences, and opinions and are not considered financial advice.
Retirement planning starts the day we start our careers. Whenever we start any project, it is always worthwhile to learn how the project works, what we want to pursue and achieve with the project, how to exit the project, and when is the right time to exit.
As physicians, gastroenterologists go through several years of vigorous training, years spent studying, researching, practicing, and juggling between work and life, trying to lead a well-balanced life. With all the years of medical training, we do not get the same level of education in financial planning in order to attain financial stability, financial empowerment, or resources that we need to put in place for a successful retirement.
Many physicians like to work and provide services as long as they can, provided the physical and mental capacity permits. Retirement planning should start as early as possible — at your first job, with the first paycheck. Having a strategic plan and understanding several personal factors can help one make this journey successful.
Financial Planning
Financial planning starts with investments in 401k, IRA, defined benefit, and defined contribution plans, as early as possible and to the maximum extent possible. It is beneficial to contribute at the first opportunity and contribute enough to the employer retirement plan to earn the full employer match. Also consider capital investment opportunities that match your risk appetite and returns, as these compound and grow over time. This can be done by adjusting personal expenses and lifestyle, giving priority to savings and future wealth management, and auto-escalation of permitted retirement contributions annually.
Assessing your financial situation periodically to determine retirement needs based on how long you intend to work and preferred lifestyle post retirement (travel, leisurely activities, etc.) is important. It is also pertinent to align revenue earned, expenses made, and wealth saved to support post-retirement life. Consider hiring a financial advisor who has the best interests in your personal wealth management. These are usually found with reputable institutions at a fixed percentage cost. Finding a trustworthy knowledgeable advisor is the key. Learning from your colleagues, networking, and learning from friends in and out of healthcare are good resources to find the right financial advisor.
Healthcare expenses should be planned as well as part of financial planning. Short-term and long-term disability and long-term care expenses should be investigated when planning for healthcare needs.
Transition Planning
Timing of retirement is based on factors such as age, financial status, personal health and preferences. The transition can be facilitated by better communication with colleagues, partners, employer, staff, and patients. Identifying a successor and planning for continuity of care of the patients, such as transitioning patients to another provider, is important as well. This may involve hiring a new associate, merging with another practice, or selling the practice.
Healthcare Coverage
One of the biggest expenses with retirement is healthcare coverage. Healthcare coverage options need to be analyzed which may include Medicare eligibility, enrollment, potential needs after retirement, including preventative care, treatment of chronic conditions, long term care services, and unexpected health outcomes and consequences.
Lifestyle and Travel Planning
Reflect on the retirement lifestyle, hobbies, and passions to be explored. Some activities like volunteer work, continuing educational opportunities, and advisory work, will help maintain physical and mental health. Consider downsizing living arrangements to align with retirement lifestyle goals which may include relocating to a different area as it fits your needs.
Legal and Estate Planning
Review and update legal documents including power of attorney, healthcare directives, will, trusts, and periodically ensure that these documents reflect your wishes.
Professional Development
Retirement may not mean quitting work completely. Some may look at this as an opportunity for professional development and pivoting to a different career that suits their lifestyle and needs. Gastroenterologists may contribute to the field and stay connected by being mentors, advisors, or, industry partners; being involved in national organizations; leading purposeful projects; or teaching part-time or on a volunteer basis.
Emotional and Social Support
Being a physician and a leader on treatment teams after so many years, some may feel lonely and unproductive with a lack of purpose in retirement; while others are excited about the free time they gained to pursue other activities and projects.
The process can be emotionally challenging even for well-prepared individuals. Finding friends, family, and professionals who can support you through this process will be helpful as you go through the uncertainties, anxiety, and fear during this phase of life. Think of developing hobbies and interests and nurturing networks outside of work environment that will keep you engaged and content during this transition.
Gastroenterologists can plan for a financially secure, emotionally fulfilling, and professionally satisfying transition tailored to their needs and preferences. Seeking help from financial advisors, legal experts, mentors, and other professionals who can provide valuable advice, support, and guidance is crucial during this process.
Do what you love and love what you do.
Dr. Appalaneni is a gastroenterologist at Dayton Gastroenterology in Beavercreek, Ohio, and a clinical assistant professor at Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. This article is not a financial planning document, nor legal advice; these are the author’s learnings, experiences, and opinions and are not considered financial advice.
Scrubs & Heels Summit 2023: Filling a void for women in GI
.1-3 This gender disparity arises from a multitude of factors including lack of effective mentoring, unequal leadership and career advancement opportunities, and pay inequity. In this context, The Scrubs & Heels Leadership Summit (S&H) was launched in 2022 focused on the professional and personal development of women in gastroenterology.
I had the great pleasure and honor of attending the 2023 summit which took place in February in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. There were nearly 200 attendees ranging from trainees to midcareer and senior gastroenterologists and other health care professionals from both academia and private practices across the nation. The weekend course was directed by S&H cofounders, Dr. Aline Charabaty and Dr. Anita Afzali, and cochaired by Dr. Amy Oxentenko and Dr. Aja McCutchen.
The 2-day summit opened with a presentation by Sally Helgesen, author of How Women Rise, describing the 12 common habits that often hold women back in career advancement, promotion, or opportunities. Dr. Aline Charabaty addressed the myth of women needing to fulfill the role of superwoman or have suprahuman abilities. Attendees were challenged to reframe this societal construct and begin to find balance and the reasonable choice to switch to part-time work and, as Dr. Aja McCutch emphasized, dial-down responsibilities to maintain wellness when life has competing priorities.
Dr. Amy Oxentenko shared her personal journey to success and instilled the importance of engaging with community and society at large. We then heard from Dr. Neena Abraham on how to gracefully embrace transitions in our professional lives, whether intentionally sought or natural progressions of a career. She encouraged attendees to control our own narrative and seek challenges that promote growth. We explored different practice models with Dr. Caroline Hwang and learned strategies of switching from academics to private practice or vice versa. We also heard from cofounder Dr. Anita Afzali on becoming a physician executive and the importance of staying connected to patient care when rising in ranks of leadership.
The second day opened with a keynote address delivered by Dr. Marla Dubinsky detailing her journey of becoming a CEO of a publicly-traded company while retaining her role as professor and chief of pediatric gastroenterology in a large academic institution. Attendees were provided with a master class on discovering ways to inspire our inner entrepreneur and highlighted the benefit of physicians, especially women, in being effective business leaders. This talk was followed by a talk by Phil Schoenfeld, MD, FACS, editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based GI for the American College of Gastroenterology. He spoke on the importance of male allyship for women in GI and shared his personal experiences and challenges with allyship.
The summit included a breakout session by Dr. Rashmi Advani designed for residents to hear tips on how to have a successful fellowship match and for fellows to embrace a steep learning curve when starting and included tips for efficiency. Additional breakout sessions included learning ergonomic strategies for positioning and scope-holding, vocal-cord exercises before giving oral presentations, and how to formulate a business plan and negotiate a contract.
We ended the summit with uplifting advice from executive coaches Sonia Narang and Dr. Dawn Sears who taught us the art of leaning into opportunities, mansizing aspirations, finding coconspirators for amplification of female GI leaders, and supporting our colleagues personally and professionally.
Three key takeaway messages:
- Recognize your self-worth and the contributions you bring to your patients and community as a whole.
- Lean into the importance of vocalizing your asks, advocating for yourself, building your brand, and showcasing your accomplishments.
- Be mindful of the balance between the time and energy you dedicate towards goals that bring you recognition and fuel your passion and your mental, physical, and emotional health.
As a trainee, I benefited tremendously from attending and expanding my professional network of mentors, sponsors and colleagues. I am encouraged by this programming and hope to see more of it in the future.
Contributors to this article included: Rashmi Advani, MD2; Anita Afzali, MD3; Aline Charabaty, MD.4
Neither Dr. Syed, nor the article contributors, had financial conflicts of interest associated with this article. The AGA was represented at the Scrubs and Heels Summit as a society partner committed to the advancement of women in GI. AGA is building on years of efforts to bolster leadership, mentorship, and sponsorship among women in GI through its annual women’s leadership conference and most recently with its 2022 regional women in GI workshops held around the country that led to the development of a comprehensive gender equity strategy designed to build an environment of gender equity in the field of GI so that all can thrive.
Institutions and social media handle
1. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (San Jose, Calif), @noorannemd
2. Cedars Sinai (Los Angeles), @AdvaniRashmiMD
3. University of Cincinnati, @IBD_Afzali
4. Johns Hopkins Medicine (Washington), @DCharabaty
References
Advani R et al. Gender-specific attitudes of internal medicine residents toward gastroenterology. Dig Dis Sci. 2022 Nov;67(11):5044-52.
American Association of Medical Colleges. Diversity in Medicine: Facts and Figures (2019).
Elta GH. The challenges of being a female gastroenterologist. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2011 Jun;40(2):441-7.
Burke CA et al. Gender disparity in the practice of gastroenterology: The first 5 years of a career. Am J Gastroenterol 2005;100:259-64
David, Yakira N. et al. Gender-specific factors influencing gastroenterologists to pursue careers in advanced endoscopy: perceptions vs reality. Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, ACG 116.3 (2021):539-50.
Rabinowitz LG et al. Gender dynamics in education and practice of gastroenterology. Gastrointest Endosc. 2021;93:1047-56.
Rabinowitz LG et al. Survey finds gender disparities impact both women mentors and mentees in gastroenterology. Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, ACG 2021;116:1876-84.
.1-3 This gender disparity arises from a multitude of factors including lack of effective mentoring, unequal leadership and career advancement opportunities, and pay inequity. In this context, The Scrubs & Heels Leadership Summit (S&H) was launched in 2022 focused on the professional and personal development of women in gastroenterology.
I had the great pleasure and honor of attending the 2023 summit which took place in February in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. There were nearly 200 attendees ranging from trainees to midcareer and senior gastroenterologists and other health care professionals from both academia and private practices across the nation. The weekend course was directed by S&H cofounders, Dr. Aline Charabaty and Dr. Anita Afzali, and cochaired by Dr. Amy Oxentenko and Dr. Aja McCutchen.
The 2-day summit opened with a presentation by Sally Helgesen, author of How Women Rise, describing the 12 common habits that often hold women back in career advancement, promotion, or opportunities. Dr. Aline Charabaty addressed the myth of women needing to fulfill the role of superwoman or have suprahuman abilities. Attendees were challenged to reframe this societal construct and begin to find balance and the reasonable choice to switch to part-time work and, as Dr. Aja McCutch emphasized, dial-down responsibilities to maintain wellness when life has competing priorities.
Dr. Amy Oxentenko shared her personal journey to success and instilled the importance of engaging with community and society at large. We then heard from Dr. Neena Abraham on how to gracefully embrace transitions in our professional lives, whether intentionally sought or natural progressions of a career. She encouraged attendees to control our own narrative and seek challenges that promote growth. We explored different practice models with Dr. Caroline Hwang and learned strategies of switching from academics to private practice or vice versa. We also heard from cofounder Dr. Anita Afzali on becoming a physician executive and the importance of staying connected to patient care when rising in ranks of leadership.
The second day opened with a keynote address delivered by Dr. Marla Dubinsky detailing her journey of becoming a CEO of a publicly-traded company while retaining her role as professor and chief of pediatric gastroenterology in a large academic institution. Attendees were provided with a master class on discovering ways to inspire our inner entrepreneur and highlighted the benefit of physicians, especially women, in being effective business leaders. This talk was followed by a talk by Phil Schoenfeld, MD, FACS, editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based GI for the American College of Gastroenterology. He spoke on the importance of male allyship for women in GI and shared his personal experiences and challenges with allyship.
The summit included a breakout session by Dr. Rashmi Advani designed for residents to hear tips on how to have a successful fellowship match and for fellows to embrace a steep learning curve when starting and included tips for efficiency. Additional breakout sessions included learning ergonomic strategies for positioning and scope-holding, vocal-cord exercises before giving oral presentations, and how to formulate a business plan and negotiate a contract.
We ended the summit with uplifting advice from executive coaches Sonia Narang and Dr. Dawn Sears who taught us the art of leaning into opportunities, mansizing aspirations, finding coconspirators for amplification of female GI leaders, and supporting our colleagues personally and professionally.
Three key takeaway messages:
- Recognize your self-worth and the contributions you bring to your patients and community as a whole.
- Lean into the importance of vocalizing your asks, advocating for yourself, building your brand, and showcasing your accomplishments.
- Be mindful of the balance between the time and energy you dedicate towards goals that bring you recognition and fuel your passion and your mental, physical, and emotional health.
As a trainee, I benefited tremendously from attending and expanding my professional network of mentors, sponsors and colleagues. I am encouraged by this programming and hope to see more of it in the future.
Contributors to this article included: Rashmi Advani, MD2; Anita Afzali, MD3; Aline Charabaty, MD.4
Neither Dr. Syed, nor the article contributors, had financial conflicts of interest associated with this article. The AGA was represented at the Scrubs and Heels Summit as a society partner committed to the advancement of women in GI. AGA is building on years of efforts to bolster leadership, mentorship, and sponsorship among women in GI through its annual women’s leadership conference and most recently with its 2022 regional women in GI workshops held around the country that led to the development of a comprehensive gender equity strategy designed to build an environment of gender equity in the field of GI so that all can thrive.
Institutions and social media handle
1. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (San Jose, Calif), @noorannemd
2. Cedars Sinai (Los Angeles), @AdvaniRashmiMD
3. University of Cincinnati, @IBD_Afzali
4. Johns Hopkins Medicine (Washington), @DCharabaty
References
Advani R et al. Gender-specific attitudes of internal medicine residents toward gastroenterology. Dig Dis Sci. 2022 Nov;67(11):5044-52.
American Association of Medical Colleges. Diversity in Medicine: Facts and Figures (2019).
Elta GH. The challenges of being a female gastroenterologist. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2011 Jun;40(2):441-7.
Burke CA et al. Gender disparity in the practice of gastroenterology: The first 5 years of a career. Am J Gastroenterol 2005;100:259-64
David, Yakira N. et al. Gender-specific factors influencing gastroenterologists to pursue careers in advanced endoscopy: perceptions vs reality. Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, ACG 116.3 (2021):539-50.
Rabinowitz LG et al. Gender dynamics in education and practice of gastroenterology. Gastrointest Endosc. 2021;93:1047-56.
Rabinowitz LG et al. Survey finds gender disparities impact both women mentors and mentees in gastroenterology. Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, ACG 2021;116:1876-84.
.1-3 This gender disparity arises from a multitude of factors including lack of effective mentoring, unequal leadership and career advancement opportunities, and pay inequity. In this context, The Scrubs & Heels Leadership Summit (S&H) was launched in 2022 focused on the professional and personal development of women in gastroenterology.
I had the great pleasure and honor of attending the 2023 summit which took place in February in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. There were nearly 200 attendees ranging from trainees to midcareer and senior gastroenterologists and other health care professionals from both academia and private practices across the nation. The weekend course was directed by S&H cofounders, Dr. Aline Charabaty and Dr. Anita Afzali, and cochaired by Dr. Amy Oxentenko and Dr. Aja McCutchen.
The 2-day summit opened with a presentation by Sally Helgesen, author of How Women Rise, describing the 12 common habits that often hold women back in career advancement, promotion, or opportunities. Dr. Aline Charabaty addressed the myth of women needing to fulfill the role of superwoman or have suprahuman abilities. Attendees were challenged to reframe this societal construct and begin to find balance and the reasonable choice to switch to part-time work and, as Dr. Aja McCutch emphasized, dial-down responsibilities to maintain wellness when life has competing priorities.
Dr. Amy Oxentenko shared her personal journey to success and instilled the importance of engaging with community and society at large. We then heard from Dr. Neena Abraham on how to gracefully embrace transitions in our professional lives, whether intentionally sought or natural progressions of a career. She encouraged attendees to control our own narrative and seek challenges that promote growth. We explored different practice models with Dr. Caroline Hwang and learned strategies of switching from academics to private practice or vice versa. We also heard from cofounder Dr. Anita Afzali on becoming a physician executive and the importance of staying connected to patient care when rising in ranks of leadership.
The second day opened with a keynote address delivered by Dr. Marla Dubinsky detailing her journey of becoming a CEO of a publicly-traded company while retaining her role as professor and chief of pediatric gastroenterology in a large academic institution. Attendees were provided with a master class on discovering ways to inspire our inner entrepreneur and highlighted the benefit of physicians, especially women, in being effective business leaders. This talk was followed by a talk by Phil Schoenfeld, MD, FACS, editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based GI for the American College of Gastroenterology. He spoke on the importance of male allyship for women in GI and shared his personal experiences and challenges with allyship.
The summit included a breakout session by Dr. Rashmi Advani designed for residents to hear tips on how to have a successful fellowship match and for fellows to embrace a steep learning curve when starting and included tips for efficiency. Additional breakout sessions included learning ergonomic strategies for positioning and scope-holding, vocal-cord exercises before giving oral presentations, and how to formulate a business plan and negotiate a contract.
We ended the summit with uplifting advice from executive coaches Sonia Narang and Dr. Dawn Sears who taught us the art of leaning into opportunities, mansizing aspirations, finding coconspirators for amplification of female GI leaders, and supporting our colleagues personally and professionally.
Three key takeaway messages:
- Recognize your self-worth and the contributions you bring to your patients and community as a whole.
- Lean into the importance of vocalizing your asks, advocating for yourself, building your brand, and showcasing your accomplishments.
- Be mindful of the balance between the time and energy you dedicate towards goals that bring you recognition and fuel your passion and your mental, physical, and emotional health.
As a trainee, I benefited tremendously from attending and expanding my professional network of mentors, sponsors and colleagues. I am encouraged by this programming and hope to see more of it in the future.
Contributors to this article included: Rashmi Advani, MD2; Anita Afzali, MD3; Aline Charabaty, MD.4
Neither Dr. Syed, nor the article contributors, had financial conflicts of interest associated with this article. The AGA was represented at the Scrubs and Heels Summit as a society partner committed to the advancement of women in GI. AGA is building on years of efforts to bolster leadership, mentorship, and sponsorship among women in GI through its annual women’s leadership conference and most recently with its 2022 regional women in GI workshops held around the country that led to the development of a comprehensive gender equity strategy designed to build an environment of gender equity in the field of GI so that all can thrive.
Institutions and social media handle
1. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (San Jose, Calif), @noorannemd
2. Cedars Sinai (Los Angeles), @AdvaniRashmiMD
3. University of Cincinnati, @IBD_Afzali
4. Johns Hopkins Medicine (Washington), @DCharabaty
References
Advani R et al. Gender-specific attitudes of internal medicine residents toward gastroenterology. Dig Dis Sci. 2022 Nov;67(11):5044-52.
American Association of Medical Colleges. Diversity in Medicine: Facts and Figures (2019).
Elta GH. The challenges of being a female gastroenterologist. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2011 Jun;40(2):441-7.
Burke CA et al. Gender disparity in the practice of gastroenterology: The first 5 years of a career. Am J Gastroenterol 2005;100:259-64
David, Yakira N. et al. Gender-specific factors influencing gastroenterologists to pursue careers in advanced endoscopy: perceptions vs reality. Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, ACG 116.3 (2021):539-50.
Rabinowitz LG et al. Gender dynamics in education and practice of gastroenterology. Gastrointest Endosc. 2021;93:1047-56.
Rabinowitz LG et al. Survey finds gender disparities impact both women mentors and mentees in gastroenterology. Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology, ACG 2021;116:1876-84.