Four CUIMC Faculty Awarded Virginia Kneeland Frantz Society Honors
On March 16, four CUIMC faculty received Virginia Kneeland Frantz Society Excellence in Mentorship Awards for outstanding inclusive mentorship, sponsorship, and advocacy of faculty, students, and/or trainees at CUIMC.
The Ignite Award, which celebrates early-career faculty who ignite growth and collaboration, went to:
- Allison A. Norful, PhD, RN, assistant professor of nursing at the School of Nursing, and
- Jordan Gabriela Nestor, MD, MS, assistant professor of medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The Catalyst for Change Award, which celebrates mid-career mentors and sponsors who transform careers and academic culture, went to:
- Penelope Lema, MD, professor of emergency medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The VKFS Dr. Anne L. Taylor Legacy of Excellence in Mentorship Award, which celebrates a senior faculty member’s career of mentorship and transformational impact, went to:
- Christine H. Rohde, MD, MPH, the Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The mentorship awards ceremony was followed by a screening and discussion of “1001 Cuts,” a documentary film about the obstacles and indignities faced by women who pursue careers in surgery. From micro-aggressions by colleagues to sexist digs from patients to surgical tools designed for much larger (male) hands, surgical specialties have been some of the least welcoming disciplines in medicine for women.
And yet the film was also a story of “resilience and perseverance, and an inspiration to all of us,” said Clara Lapiner, assistant vice president in the Office for Faculty Professional Development and Engagement at CUIMC. “Two members of the Virginia Kneeland Frantz Society brought the film to our attention. They wanted to widen the audience for the film and use it to bring more people into the conversation stimulated by the film.”
After the screening a panel discussion moderated by Rohde helped the audience process the film and further explore its themes. The panel included Sarah Temkin, MD, director and producer of “1001 Cuts,” Meghan Lane-Fall, MD, MSHP, chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, and Wakenda K. Tyler, MD, associate professor of orthopedic surgery and a subject in the film.
Panelists (from left) Christine H. Rohde, Sarah Temkin, Meghan Lane-Fall, and Wakenda K. Tyler comment on "1001 Cuts." Photo by Lucas Hoeffel for Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Rohde kept the conversation focused and concrete: “What are some action items?” Temkin urged members of the audience who face challenges like those portrayed in the film to “have the difficult conversations with superiors, peers, and patients.” Lane-Fall counseled the audience to “keep asking questions and take responsibility for one thing. To change a culture, start with the basics.”
Through skillful leadership, change can also come from the top, Tyler observed. “If you want to drive change, seniority helps.” In the meantime, a good place to start is to “acknowledge the struggles and realize that you are not alone.”
Lema, director of VP&S faculty mentoring and engagement in the Office of Academic Affairs, saw two positive outcomes from the evening’s program. “One thing to come out of this is awareness of the challenges and hurdles that people have faced and continue to face, even if you haven’t faced exactly the same challenges yourself.”
“The other thing to come out of tonight’s program,” continued Lema, “is the opportunity for potential allies to recognize that no one is alone in these struggles. Tonight’s event can help create a safer space and culture where everyone can excel.”