Yale DEM joins celebration of 100 Years of Women at Yale School of Medicine
More than 20 female faculty from the Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) are being celebrated as part of the Yale School of Medicine’s (YSM) ongoing initiative, “100 Years of Women at YSM”. The focus of the initiative, which includes an exhibition, videos and a symposium that was held on June 1, is to commemorate the contributions YSM women have made to the university and to the world.
“When we were asked by the 100 Years’ committee to select distinguished women in our department and recognize the important work they are doing,” says Sharon Anoush Chekijian, MD, MPH, “we realized that each of our women faculty have not only made outstanding contributions to the field of emergency medicine (EM), but they all exemplify excellence in science or clinical care, as role models, leaders, and mentors. Contributions include ground breaking research in areas of alcohol and opiate dependence, gender based medicine, palliative care, traffic safety, education, and the global crisis in non-communicable illness, as well as holding leadership positions with national organizations.” In addition to being founding medical director of the PA residency program in EM, and director of patient experience in the DEM, Chekijian is a member of the Committee on the Status of Women in Medicine (SWIM). Founded in 1979 to address issues related to gender equity at YSM, SWIM works to raise awareness of issues relevant to women faculty and to advocate for them.
DEM Chair, Gail D’Onofrio, MD, MS, one of three female department chairs at YSM, is part of an exhibit that features historically important women, early women leaders, and women of today. The exhibit serves to highlight the accomplishments of women at YSM who perform basic science research; work in clinical science; are involved in teaching and mentoring; are in leadership positions, and promote women’s equality.
Profiles of DEM women who have been recognized can be seen at: https://medicine.yale.edu/centuryofwomen/distinguishedwomen/