‘The power behind women leaders’: Inaugural SSWIMS fellows celebrate success
A fellowship for women in medicine and science, including VIP Team Leader Dr. Salma Patel (below, left), supported projects that are improving education, research and patient care — and preparing participants for leadership.
Some Spurring Success for Women in Medicine and Science (SSWIMS) fellows surveyed trainees and faculty members to identify gaps in the college’s educational offerings — and set out to improve the curriculum in response.
After learning that many medical residents didn’t feel prepared to spearhead original research, Dr. Salma Patel is now guiding today’s trainees through the process.
“As a clinician at the bedside, questions will come up, and there might not be much information on PubMed,” Dr. Patel said. “It’s important for us to ask those questions and do the research study that will answer that question. It takes our medical practice to a whole different level.”
To give trainees the tools they need, Dr. Patel created a website with step-by-step instructions, videos, an explanation of terminology and concepts, links to relevant campus resources, and scholarship and funding information.
“They wanted five, six bullet points — how to get a project off the ground,” Dr. Patel said, adding that it’s already helping users navigate the research process. “I can’t wait to see where the students and trainees take their projects. It was a lot of work, but it’s been worth it when I see the impact it has had already.”
Read the whole story on the College of Medicine news site here.
Investigate Dr. Patel's VIP Team here - it's currently full for Fall 2024, but may have openings for undergraduate students in the future: Sleep and Circadian Research Group