Making the journey from Edinburgh to Cambridge amidst the chaos of train strikes is not for the weak-hearted, but it was certainly worth it to attend the enriching and invaluable Medical Women’s Federation Spring Conference 2024. I was lucky to have been accepted to present a research poster on gender inequality in orthopaedic radiation protection and discuss this important issue with other presenters and attendees, collating ideas, and encouraging others to audit and take action to improve this inequality in their own deaneries and hospitals.
My favourite session was by the iconic Miss Samantha Tross who talked about failures, negativity bias, and overcoming failure. It was not only incredible to hear the insight of the first female black orthopaedic consultant, but it also allowed me to reflect on the impact attitude and resilience have on whether or not I’ve been able/unable to take failure as a learning opportunity as opposed to an offence on my credibility. It was eye opening to learn about the power of reframing and refusing to give failure more meaning than it’s worth. I especially appreciated her quote ‘you can charge your own path’. As a female medical student and aspiring orthopod in the still male-dominated Orthopaedic community, hearing from such an exceptional female leader and speaker reinforced my determination to find my own success in the field. Listening to her relatable stories about imposter syndrome and seeing the representation she provides to young aspiring orthopaedic surgeons like myself has also made me more impassioned to share my experiences when I become more senior in my career - to pass on lessons, advice, and support to my succeeding generation.
This conference was an excellent platform to further build my professional network by connecting with other female professionals and students. I was really empowered by how uplifting and motivating everyone was and was greatly appreciative of the advice from successful women in medicine regarding the unique challenges and opportunities women in healthcare face, especially in relation to family building, work-life balance, and professional development. All the talks were particularly inspiring, and I left the conference feeling better able to advocate for greater representation of women and minorities in leadership roles, and being an active bystander when I see discrimination or harassment in the workplace.
As an aspiring researcher, the conference was also a rich environment for learning about cutting-edge research and projects on everything from undergraduate sexual assault education to charitable work building crisis packs for mothers in Gaza. This not only broadened my understanding of important work being done in women’s health but also provided inspiration and knowledge I can bring back to my own deanery, enhancing my capacity to contribute to my local healthcare and academic community.
I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend this conference. A massive thank you to the organisers for delivering a fantastic event!
- Jingjing Wang, Medical Student and Recipient of the Estelle Wolfson Conference Bursary
