Women in Medicine: The Next Generation

Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Outreach Dept: AHEC
Program: Future Women in Medicine

Through a coordinated effort between KU Medical Center’s Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), KU Medical Center’s Alumni Relations and KU Endowment we were pleased to offer a new and exciting program that was targeted to be part of the KUMC’s Alumni Reunion Weekend’s activities. This program was developed to encourage young women to continue their pursuit of a career in the health care field. Six high school junior and senior female students from across the state who have exhibited a strong interest and commitment to health care careers were invited to participate in this program with two main goals in mind: to provide them with the opportunity to interact with health professions students, faculty and alumni and to experience an academic medical center’s campus.

What made this program so unique was that it coincided with the national tour of the “Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America’s Women Physicians” exhibit in KUMC’s Dykes Library as well as an exhibit on KU Women of Medicine in KUMC’s Clendening Library. The high school students and the AHEC staff were integrated into activities on campus, including attending classes, attending lectures from Michael Kennedy, MD or Rita Clifford, PhD, and touring campus as well as those of Alumni Weekend, including an invitation-only breakfast with Nancy Wilson Dickey, MD, the first female president of the AMA, the Bohan Lecture also with Nancy Wilson Dickey, MD and the KUMC Gala.

Invitations were extended to students from each of 6 regions of the state (Northwest, Northeast, North Central, Southwest, Southeast and South Central) as well as one student each from the Kansas City and Wichita areas. All expenses for the students, from travel and lodging to meals and events, were covered by KUMC’s Outreach Office and the Area Health Education Centers as well as by gifts provided from members of the Medical Alumni Association Board. Transportation to and from Kansas City, as well as supervision during the trip, was provided by the regional Area Health Education Centers staff.

This program gave young women from different areas of Kansas the opportunity to explore the world of medicine and health care within the walls of the KU Medical Center. Alumni Weekend is about celebrating the past of our medical center and this program was an opportunity to blend future generations of health care professionals into our greatest achievements.