News for Women in Psychiatry

Hoping you had a good holiday season and that you are energized to confront the challenges of our field in this new "millennium." Having just received my APA ballot for the officers who will direct the future priorities of organized psychiatry over the next several years, I remind each of you how crucial it is to vote in APA national elections. Despite the increase in numbers of women psychiatrists, (women comprise nearly 30% of APA membership and half of resident members), representation on the APA Board of Trustees is still of concern. While it is heartening to see more diverse photos in this years Psychiatric- News annual election issue, the situation is unchanged if you look behind these pages. For example, on the APA boardroom wall, there is a striking lack of diversity among the photos of past APA presidents (this presents a parallel to the recent photos of the AOL and Time-Warner business merger). Whenever I walk into this room, I am ever appreciative of Carol Nadelson, Elissa Benedek, and Mary Jane England (the three women APA past presidents) who lend some diversity to the boardroom wall. Unfortunately, this marks the sixth consecutive year that the APA president-elect will be a male, albeit (in the words of Leah Dickstein) a "man-of-good conscience." There is still resistance to change and shifts in gender at the top. Perhaps this reflects a preference that we stay in bathrooms, not boardrooms.

Kudos to ALL the women candidates who ran this year, and thanks to Ann Turkel who again provided the informative AWP election newsletter. Senior women candidates included Marcia Goin, Carol Bernstein, Maria Lymberis, Kathleen Mogul, all of whom presented impressive platforms and courage. It is also inspiring to see women running for national office early in their careers including Jacquelyn Chang, Esther Dechant, Britta Ostermeyer and Erin Silvertooth.

As we look toward the future, I am struck by the changing face of psychiatry, and welcome the diversity I see among psychiatry residents. Often over the course of residency training there is an "awakening" to issues that are unique to women. I specifically remember my own "awakening" when, as second year psychiatry resident. I heard Theresa A. Pigott speak on her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder research. Her talk was outstanding, and I later realized what was most striking was that this was the first time I had heard a women psychiatrist giving a talk on her research. A light bulb went on, identification if you will. Despite over 70 percent of our resident clinic outpatients and nearly half of the residents, being women there was a paucity of women faculty. Initially, I sought mentoring through books, later through AWP, AMWA and APA I remember reading the newsletter and joining. Later, I came to know and work with outstanding women colleagues. Seeing other women role models continues to inspire me through out my professional life.

This year AWP received an unrestricted grant from Wyeth-Ayerst to give a one-year subscription of our newsletter to fourth year psychiatry residents. Thanks to Frances Bell, AWP Executive Director, and Carol Jane at Wyeth-Ayerst for facilitating this. I invite each psychiatry resident who is reading this to fill out the membership application enclosed in this newsletter. You may find yourself saying, "What can AWP do for me?" We have already done a lot. AWP has with an endowment from Wyeth-Ayerst, established the first and only named lectureship honoring women psychiatrists given at the APA annual meeting. Among the accomplishments, AWP established the first fellowship honoring outstanding women psychiatry residents, leadership awards to numerous women medical students, a referral network for women psychiatrists, and worked collaboratively with the APA to establish an office to address issues and needs of women. We have also worked with Donna Stewart and the APA Comon Women toward enhanced representation of women in APA elected and appointed offices. Additionally, AWP has provided numerous educational programs specifically addressing the career development issues of women. Please come to our AWP booth and reception at the APA annual meeting in Chicago.

What better way to launch into the new century within our professional lives than to attend this years APA/AWP Symonds Award Lecture? Nada Stotland, AWP-Immediate Past President will give this in May at the APA annual meeting. Stotland will provide insights from her years as an outstanding leader in women’s health and psychiatry in her lecture entitled "Six Easy Lessons in the Care of Women Patients: Using What You Already Know to Improve Your Practice." Having once attended a Duke Departmental Grand Rounds given by Stotland, I assure you her intellect, wisdom and wit are inspiring. Additionally Stotland, a pioneer in women’s health, will no doubt bring each of you practical "take home" pearls. Stotland is also recognized this year for her tireless work to diversify the boardroom.

There are several other APA annual meeting events I would like to highlight Deborah Spitz, and the APA Committee on Women, has once again organized what is sure to be an excellent workshop on mentoring. Samantha Meltzer-Brody has organized a forum on maternity leave during residency. Tedra Anderson-Brown has organized a clinical case conference on women and addiction. Additionally AWP and the Society for Women’s Health Research has prepared a symposium on menopause and mood, which will bring together biology, gender, psychopharmacology, and psychodynamic perspectives. Hope to see you in Chicago in May. Stop by the booth or send your CV to Frances Bell if you would like to get more involved. We need your time, energy, and commitment to keep moving from the bathroom to the boardroom.