‘Ask the Experts’: Amy Pearson, MD

In this episode of “Ask the Experts,” Amy Pearson, MD, joins us to discuss her leadership role in Women in Anesthesiology, which is an organization that focuses on the professional and personal development of women anesthesiologists as well as promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity.

“Ask the Experts” is a conversation podcast series from the “Anesthesiology News Presents” channel. It features up-close and personal Q&A interviews with leading experts in the field of anesthesiology on topics such as difficult airways and women in medicine.

Links from episode

Link to tweet in question 1

Link to tweet in question 2

Link to tweet in question 3

Resources from Myths

Myth 1: “Anesthesiology should be popular among women medical students.”

• www.aamc.org/data-reports/workforce/interactive-data/acgme-residents-and-fellows-sex-and-specialty-2015

Myth 2: “If women don’t choose our program or practice, we can’t help it.”

• pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31199206/
• www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5131263/
• weli.pedsanesthesia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Motherhood-and-Anesthesiology.pdf

Myth 3: “If residents were allowed to graduate by just achieving their milestones, maybe it would be easier for women to take maternity leave in residency without making up the time.”

• jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2607209
• jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768342

Myth 4: “It’s a good thing harassment doesn’t happen in the hospital or OR anymore.”

• link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12630-019-01333-8

Myth 5: “We need to flatten the hierarchy and call women by their first names.”

Myth 6: “The only reason there’s a pay gap is because women work less hours and don’t negotiate.”

• weli.pedsanesthesia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Closing-the-Gender-Wage-Gap-and-Achieving-Professional-Equity-in-Medicine.pdf
• pubs.asahq.org/anesthesiology/article/123/5/997/12599/Regional-and-Gender-Differences-and-Trends-in-the

Myth 7: “It’s easy to have kids in medical school/residency/practice.”

• journals.lww.com/obstetricanesthesia/Abstract/2020/12000/Motherhood_and_Anesthesiology__A_Survey_of_the.33.aspx
• www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5818808/
• CBS News report on birth rate: www.cbsnews.com/news/birth-rate-declining-younger-generations-crisis/

Myth 8: “Mothers going part time are the reason there’s a physician shortage.”

• www.aamc.org/download/498034/data/aamcstatementtothehousesmallbusinesscommitteeregardingmedicaled.pdf
• www.aamc.org/download/484890/data/2017annualaddressofthephysicianworkforce.pdf

Myth 9: “There’s a shortage of women leaders and professors because historically they were not as well represented in medicine.”

• www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20200228lv-diversity.html
• www.forbes.com/sites/lipiroy/2020/02/25/its-my-calling-to-change-the-statistics-why-we-need-more-black-female-physicians/#7f17e21a56a5
• www.bjanaesthesia.org.uk/article/S0007-0912(20)30010-6/abstract
• www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/publications/status-of-women-in-academic-anesthesiology-a-10-year-update-2
• www.aamc.org/data-reports/faculty-institutions/report/state-women-academic-medicine
• twitter.com/JulieSilverMD/status/1176123023348383745/photo/1

Myth 10: “Women have several deficiencies they need to fix in order to be successful.”

Link to interview with Amy Pearson, MD, in “The Etherist” Season 2: www.anesthesiologynews.com/Multimedia/Article/10-20/The-Etherist-Podcast-Season-2-Episode-3-A-Perfect-Match/60710

Reading Recommendations From Amy Pearson, MD

On Attrition

www.statnews.com/2020/01/16/black-doctors-leaving-faculty-positions-academic-medical-centers/comment-page-3/

On Life Coaching

janetatansey.com

thecareerlauncher.com/careerrx-certified-coaches/

Brene Brown (Daring Greatly)

To submit questions for our next guest, Karen Sibert, MD, email us at ANPresents [at] mcmahonmed.com.