“If you want to see things at a global level, start at a village level. Give women the tools and education and they will drive the change.” –Melinda Gates
I believe there are many individuals around us we can look to for inspiration. Within medicine, I have found many of those persons to be my female physician mentors. As a first-generation American and a female medical student, I have found that the female physician mentors in my life have provided me with the strength, support, and encouragement I needed to propel myself through medical school.
It is an incredible feeling knowing there are women support and advocacy groups dedicated in serving women of the current and next generation of physicians. Even today, within every specialty, I find there are more and more support groups being formed to encourage and uplift women medical students and residents. Along with that, those specialties have advocacy groups that fight for equality in all regards.
Many women physicians in history have paved the way for a better and brighter future. I am always amazed at the advancements our female physicians have made in such a short amount of time. It’s a proud feeling to see the number of female physicians rising each year and knowing, upon graduation, I will add to that increasing number.
Ultimately, it is important to celebrate how far we have come and the accomplishments we have made, but it is more important to continue making advancements for women in medicine. The future is female!
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