Dr. Hatcher Reflects on Two Years Leading WIMS

April Hatcher, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience, will complete her term as chair of Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS) at the end of June. She shares what she enjoys most about being part of a “dynamic organization,” as well as what her team has accomplished during those two years.

Q: Why do you enjoy being part of WIMS?

A: WIMS is a dynamic organization. I have always enjoyed meeting new people across the clinical and basic science departments, many of whom I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet and get to know otherwise. WIMS brings new opportunities for enrichment, both professionally and personally. It is a resource for faculty, students, and trainees as they navigate new career positions and life in general. I have always found WIMS to be welcoming and uplifting.

Q: What were your favorite aspects about being chair of WIMS?

A: Working with the range of faculty, students, and trainees that compose this talented group of women. I enjoyed brainstorming with members on new initiatives and joining efforts to design programming that addresses various needs throughout the college and in the community. For example, working with co-chairs to partner with a family resources center, The Nest, to provide information on domestic violence and mental health, co-sponsoring professional development sessions on the viewing and discussion of “Picture a Scientist,” and financially supporting research projects that extend to fellow Kentuckians, to name a few. 

Q: What were your goals going into your chair position?

A: I wanted to increase networking opportunities for women at various stages in their careers and to cultivate a sense of belonging and community among the group members. I wanted to increase the audience, diversify the activities offered, and provide support for new initiatives based on the passions of the subcommittee members. Essentially, I really wanted to inspire a feeling of excitement about being a woman in medicine and science! And now I am excited that we will have opportunities to reach out to fellow colleagues with interdisciplinary efforts in other colleges.

Q: What did you accomplish in this role?

A: As a team, we have:

• tripled the members on the listserv

• doubled the pairs of enrollees in the mentor program (32 pairs in 2020; 63 pairs in 2021; 71 pairs in 2022) (student and trainee subcommittee members Dr. Courtney Kloske and Kristin Miller) with customized programming during the “Coffee with WIMS” and networking sessions

• nearly doubled the enrollees (from 34 to 66) in the WIMS Certificate Program in the second cohort 2020 (education and professional development subcommittee co-chairs Drs. Claire Clark and Regina Fragneto)

• initiated WIMS Booster Awards to fund three clinical, education, and basic science projects (awards and honors subcommittee co-chairs Drs. Caitlin Conley, Kim Kaiser, and Amy Meadows)

• formalized the outreach (Dr. Anna Maria South and Chi Peng) and operation and planning subcommittees (Drs. Patricia Santos and Jennifer Wang)

• hosted WIMS Day in October 2020 and 2021 with full-day programming and keynote speakers, Dr. Alicia Monroe from Baylor College of Medicine and Dr. Geraldine McGinty from Weill Cornell Medicine (program subcommittee co-chairs Drs. Paula Ackerman, Meera Gupta, and Analia Kinsey Loria)

• published the second iteration of the WIMS three-year report 2018-2021 (operations and planning subcommittee co-chairs Drs. Patricia Santos and Jennifer Wang, College of Medicine communications, and Tammy McGuire)

• formalized standard operating procedures for the subcommittees (in progress)

• offered diverse programming including wellness, professional development, and diversity and inclusion, including co-sponsoring sessions with Healthy Hearts for Women, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Office of Biomedical Education (program and student and trainee subcommittee including Drs. Paula Ackerman, Monica Chau, Meera Gupta, Analia Kinsey Loria, and Courtney Kloske, and Kristen Miller)

• kicked off educational research on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) with plans to continue a dedicated cohort for developing and publishing educational research (education and professional development subcommittee co-chairs Drs. Kristen Platt and Katie Twist)

• created a WIMS writing group in the spring 2021 (Dr. Claire Clark, education and professional development subcommittee member)

• introduced a bimonthly WIMS newsletter in fall 2021 (communications subcommittee co-chairs Drs. Riham El Khouli, Nikki Gupta, and Catalina Vélez-Ortega)

• opened interdisciplinary connections with the other five health care colleges (dentistry, public health, health sciences, pharmacy, and nursing), which will kick off with an event in May

• worked to secure the remaining funds for a WIMS lectureship

All of this was completed with the outstanding support of Dr. Stephanie White, Tammy McGuire, Charla Hamilton, and Brian Hamilton.

Q: When does your position end, and what are your plans with WIMS after that?

A: My position will end on June 30 of this year. I plan to stay active in WIMS and participate on one of the subcommittees, in addition to being a mentor in the mentorship program, serve in outreach, and generally be around to cheer this organization on!

Q: Do you have a message for the incoming chair?

A: I would like to impart how special this organization is—that it is a tremendous resource for the professional and personal growth of women in the College of Medicine and beyond. It is a living, breathing agent of change. Keep the momentum going! I would say prepare your heart and mind not only for service, but for the enriching relationships that will follow.