AMWA Berkeley and other premedical members gathered at the home of AMWA Executive Director Dr. Eliza Chin this past weekend for an evening of tea, conversation, and mentorship. The gathering provided an opportunity for students to connect in an informal setting, learn more about national AMWA programs, and explore ways to become involved in the organization’s work.
Discussion touched on the many opportunities available to premedical students across AMWA’s initiatives, including global health, women’s health, cancer prevention, lifestyle medicine, reproductive health, menopause, fertility and infertility, and more. Students also shared their own interests and experiences, underscoring the breadth of issues that inspire the next generation of women in medicine.
An interesting theme that emerged was the growing interest in women’s health across generations. Several members are learning about issues like menopause through conversations with their mothers, reflecting the broader dialogue taking place around women’s health and midlife. Other areas of interest included fertility, childhood nutrition, reproductive healthcare, and cancer prevention. Together, these discussions highlight an important opportunity for education and advocacy: equipping future physicians with reliable information and resources that they can share not only with patients one day, but with the people and communities around them today.
The AMWA Berkeley branch has built an active community with subcommittees focused on reproductive care, diversity and equity, nutrition, and other areas of interest. Through these efforts, students are gaining opportunities to lead, educate, advocate, and begin making an impact well before entering medical school.
Gatherings like this reflect an important part of AMWA’s mission—creating connections across generations of women in medicine and supporting the next generation of women physicians.
