AMWA EVOLVE Certificate in Leadership Essentials

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Let the Experience of AMWA EVOLVE Alums Speak to the Value of This Program

“Leadership is something that we physicians are expected to master, yet so little time in training is focused on teaching us this important topic. AMWA EVOLVE was my solution to this.

I wanted to use the program to help me develop skills that I would need as an attending, but I ended up learning so much that helped me to lead as a chief resident and fellow. My entire perspective on how to run a multidisciplinary clinical team and motivate those on the team to all do our best work changed drastically, and I became a lot more successful in managing complex patients and building fulfilling relationships with my colleagues. The most important topics that helped me achieve this were figuring out my why and knowing that was driving me, as well as learning about my own core values and how that influences how I act versus how others act and respond to situations based on their own set of core values.

Additionally, giving and receiving feedback was a critical skill for academic medicine that can be very tricky, but excellent tips and tricks learned through this course made this much easier for me during my fellowship, and I plan to use those same methods as I transition to the attending role. Overall, I have been extremely happy with my experience and everything I have gained from EVOLVE and 100% recommend it to all trainees!”

— Brette Harding, MD
(Otolaryngology)

"I found EVOLVE to be very valuable. The small group discussions were honest and made me reflect on my values, strengths, and helped me to see other people’s perspectives and what methods have worked for them in the past. I will definitely take with me the module on microaggressions, asking clarifying questions and contributing to a culture of respect within my own workplace."

Dr. Nicole Cumbo

2nd Year Resident, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University

"I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in EVOLVE and have found this experience to be highly valuable. Most valuable has been the vulnerability of the mentors and trainees. Their vulnerability has helped me feel less alone and more connected with female physicians as a whole."

Dr. Candace Jone

4th Year Resident, Psychiatry, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin

“I really enjoyed the EVOLVE program.

It helped me connect with female physicians around the country and learn from their experiences as we navigated lessons in building our confidence and ability to verbalize insecurities, challenges, and hopes for the future. The modules were not cumbersome to complete during a medical or surgical training program. I will take away some of the pearls on authentic leadership and my leadership strengths as I move forward in my training and rise in the ranks.”

— Dr. Sindhu Mannava,
4th Year Resident, Pediatric Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine

"AMWA EVOLVE provided a platform to learn methods of identifying and mitigating the challenges inherent to a career in medicine as a woman and how to overcome those to become a leader and voice for those around you."

Courtney Pedersen, MD

(Emergency Medicine)

"I am grateful that my dean of medicine recommended I pursue this course. I used the skills I learned in the course to speak on imposter syndrome to my co-residents. I continue to have imposter syndrome but I am now able to recognize and work through it. I feel more confident in myself as a leader and therefore, others take me more seriously, which was a personal goal I had going into the course."

Margeaux LaCavera, DO

(Internal Medicine)

“This course provided the tools, empowerment and insightful information for personal development.

As a resident, this is very important because as a trainee, we don’t often think about ways in which we can become effective leaders, although it may be expected of us. To transition from negative thought or self sabotage to recognizing things that are in line with leadership role and digesting positive remarks for what they are (which is sometimes hard as a resident) are some highlights of this course. Moreover, it was good to see how residents from different specialties deal with imposter syndrome as well as self advocacy. Another part of the program that I really appreciated was the negotiating contracts and budgeting. Again stepping into big shoes also entail having the skills to deal with the challenges and getting ahead of things. I want to thank this program for facilitating and leading the course, allowing us to meet virtually from our respective institutions, sharing their thoughts and insights, and to all the participants for sharing their experiences, ideas, and empowering one another.

— Efua Bolouvi, MD (General Surgery)

"The AMWA EVOLVE program really hit the ground running. The ease at which I was able to organize years of chaotic thoughts and feelings of what ‘My Why’ is for pursuing leadership was helpful…The program covered critical topics that women in medicine face within their careers and prepared me with tools to face these challenges as I approach residency graduation and look toward my first attending appointment."

Dr. Genevieve Pentecost

3rd Year Resident, Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine

"I found the program to be highly valuable in enhancing my leadership skills and providing valuable insights specific to the medical field. It’s clear that the program offers a comprehensive curriculum tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women in medicine. I liked the interactive nature of the program, allowing for meaningful discussions, networking opportunities, and practical skill-building exercises. The key takeaways include enhanced self-awareness, improved communication skills, and a deeper understanding of how to foster inclusive and collaborative work environments."

Dr. Evgeniya Pasternak

2nd Year Resident, Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

“I think, similar to everyone, this course has been very helpful…

and I think sort of planted the seed in my mind about a lot of different ideas and things that I’m going to continue reflecting on as I transition to fellowship and think about and further develop my leadership style. But beyond just leadership training, I think this course also really highlighted the importance of having a community, having mentors, and that it’s okay to advocate for yourself, because that’s something that I struggle with sometimes and not standing up for myself. That has been a good, persistent reminder, I would say, throughout this course.

— Ami Patel, MD (Pediatrics)

"I feel like I get exposure to other women in my own field, but it’s interesting to hear across the different disciplines of med and what everyone has to deal with with their everyday life and what all the amazing things people are accomplishing. And I feel like it just kind of made me think more about the people that I’m working with throughout the hospital in the different departments, and it makes me want to reach out to them more and have these good conversations with other people."

Kathryn Grimes, MD

(Neurology)

"I found out about AMWA EVOLVE at a crucial time in my life. It was life changing…I have been broadcasting this program at every opportunity. It changed my medical education journey."

Temmy Brotherson, MD

(Family Medicine)