On Writing as a Woman in Medicine
Author: Jennifer Caputo-Seidler, MD
Keywords: WIM Summit, writing, storytelling, professional development, curriculum vitae
The overarching theme of this year’s WIM Summit was the power of stories. Keynote speaker Dr. Kimberly Manning taught us to embrace the legacy narrative. Dr. Jessi Gold and Dr. Arghavan Salles showed us how to use writing as a tool for advocacy. Dr. Brittani James and Dr. Brandi Jackson gave us goosebumps with their use of storytelling in “Healing While Black”. As an aspiring woman physician writer, here are some of my key takeaways from the 2021 WIM Summit.
Deliberate practice
As clinical trainees, we learn to distinguish normal breath sounds from the rhonchi of pneumonia or the crackles of heart failure by listening to many lungs, presenting our exam to our attending teachers, and receiving feedback on our findings. It is only through practicing the physical exam with direct feedback that we become expert clinicians. To become better writers, we must engage in this same rigorous deliberate practice. We must write and receive feedback on our work. Both Dr. Kimberly Manning and Dr. Suzanne Koven spoke of how they used blogs as a space to engage in this writing practice. A blog not only allows you to write in the creation of posts, but readers can also give feedback through comments or the contact page. This feedback will help you as a writer understand what resonates with your readers. Over time you will develop the topics and style of writing that lands best with your intended audience.
Write first, then find the platform
Even if your ultimate goal is a publication, the first step should be the writing itself. Write the story you are obsessed with, the one you are curious about, or you feel others need to hear. After you complete the piece, figure out the best fit for that piece to submit for publication. You may be surprised at where your work ultimately ends up. Dr. Suzanne Koven shared a piece she wrote that was ultimately picked up by NPR, an outlet that wasn’t on her radar when she wrote the essay. Writing with only one publication platform in mind may prematurely limit your publication options.
Put it on your CV
Dr. Avital O’Glasser led a breakout session on reclaiming the CV. She is at the forefront of a movement to have the CV represent more than just peer-reviewed publications. Humanities scholarship through narrative writing and writing for advocacy definitely belong on your CV. Because much of this writing is disseminated in the digital space, you can (and should) hyperlink the piece. Don’t forget to share your work’s impact by citing the number of views on a blog platform or the number of impressions on social media!
About the Author: Jennifer Caputo-Seidler, MD, is a hospitalist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of South Florida. Her interests include gender equity, medical education, and narrative medicine. (Twitter: @jennifermcaputo)