'Although medical schools graduate nearly equal numbers of women and men, there is still a paucity of women in leadership in academic medicine and the biomedical sciences,' says professor and dean Sharkey.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. The persisting disparities of women in science and medicine and what women in those fields can do to help change the equation will be discussed during a daylong conference Thursday sponsored by the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

"This conference is needed because although medical schools graduate nearly equal numbers of women and men, there is still a paucity of women in leadership in academic medicine and the biomedical sciences," Dr. Katherine M. Sharkey, Brown's assistant dean for Women in Medicine and Science, and an associate professor of medicine, psychiatry and human behavior, told The Journal.

"The 'trickle down' of this is that women physicians have fewer [federal] grants and publications and are paid more than $18,000 per year less than male physicians, even after controlling for lower-paying specialties and taking time off for maternity leave. Since most families are dual-career families nowadays, this hurts everyone, not just women."

That assessment is shared by keynote speaker Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, professor emerita of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the first female editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the nation's leading professional medical publication.

"I've learned that there are 4 essential characteristics of a good leader: Tough minded (NOT TOUGH), Tenacious, Thick-skinned and Tender-hearted," DeAngelis wrote in an email to The Journal.

"The latter two are expected of women, but when women display the first two, they are considered by many men to be difficult, nasty, arrogant and/or offensive. Hence, in addition to what Katie stated, only 22 percent of professors, sixteen percent of department directors and 15 percent of deans of medical schools are women. A great sense of humor helps a great deal."

The conference also features keynote remarks by Dr. Vanessa Britto, medical director of Wellesley College.

"These disparities impact healthcare," Sharkey said. "We are witnessing a national attack on women's health that I believe would be easier to combat if women comprised half of the medical school deans."

Said DeAngelis: "Women must work to be leaders using the '4 T characteristics' and mentor younger women to follow in their footsteps."

The professional development conference, "Achieving Equity in Medicine and Science an Era of Change,"runs from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Warren Alpert School, 222 Richmond St. Information at bit.ly/2soQ60A.

gwmiller@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7380

On Twitter: @GWayneMiller

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Disparities of women in medicine and science to be explored in Brown conference - The Providence Journal