Meet the woman behind Chicago’s Women in Medicine Summit
Fact checked by Catherine Gianaro
Leading up to the annual Women in Medicine Summit at the Drake Hotel in Chicago this month, writer Kimberly Soenen sits down with the force behind a movement that’s elevating women’s voices in medicine.
Shikha Jain, MD, holds a host of titles. She’s associate professor of medicine in hematology and oncology at the University of Illinois Chicago, serves as director of communication strategies in medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago, is associate director of oncology communication and digital innovation at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, and the CEO and co-founder of the Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team (IMPACT), which aims to fight misinformation and advocate for science-based policy.
As if that weren’t enough, in 2019, Jain founded the Women in Medicine Summit (and two years later the Women in Medicine nonprofit). Jain felt motivated to make women a priority after her own experiences and data that consistently show that keeping women in healthcare and elevating them into leadership positions has a direct impact on communities’ health.
“There is so much data that confirms the gender bias still exists, and it can be seen in our makeup of leadership, salaries, awards, and much more,” she says. “And there is a plethora of data that also confirms these disparities have a direct detrimental impact on the health of our communities and the burnout of our healthcare workers.”
Jain’s motivation also stems from personal struggles and barriers she has encountered in her own training and career — challenges that at times made her question her career aspirations. She says she was fortunate to have a strong support system, yet she often felt alone with those adverse experiences.
She says physician leaders advised her throughout her career to not share those barriers and struggles with others in fear of reprisal. It was only through conversations with her peers that Jain realized her experiences were not unique to her, but rather a common narrative among many women in medicine.
The Women in Medicine Summit has grown year over year, and this year more than 500 people from around the world have registered to attend. Much of the organization’s growth happened during the pandemic. At the pandemic’s start, female physicians reached out to Jain to ask if she could provide resources, education, and a virtual community to help female physicians remain connected as they traversed an uncharted medical scenario.
This led to the launch of multiple specialized initiatives: the Women in Medicine Research Lab, Speakers Bureau, Longitudinal Leadership Programming, Allyship Training for male leaders in healthcare, webinars, and more. The community now ranges from students to deans, trainees to CEOs, and private practitioners to hospital employees and academicians.
People’s enthusiasm makes one thing clear, Jain says. “The current system is not working. We are at a watershed moment in our nation’s history, and it is past time to start modernizing our healthcare systems to fit the current climate.”
This year’s summit includes a confluence of leaders from various medical disciplines, offering workshops, keynote speeches, and panel discussions.
“The summit is not just an event, it’s a movement, igniting change and inspiring a new generation of women leaders in healthcare,” Jain says. “I envision our organization will continue to grow, and provide opportunities for thought leadership, collaboration, support, education, and improve the healthcare systems everyone depends on to keep us healthy.”
The Women in Medicine Summit takes place Sept. 13-14 at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago. Sessions include reproductive life planning, op-ed writing, financial planning, and more.
Women in Medicine Initiatives
1. Research Lab: publishes data-driven solutions in peer-reviewed journals and in popular press.
2. Longitudinal Leadership Programming: Aimed at early- and mid-career women, who are the most likely to leave medicine or suffer from being invisible in their careers, leading to burnout.
3. Allyship Programming: Continuing education courses for male leaders in healthcare who want to lead inclusively.
4. Speakers Bureau: Opportunities for women in medicine to have national speaking engagements and media appearances.
5. Lift as You Rise Mentorship/Sponsorship: Programming specific to students to excite them about pursuing a medical career.
