The WINS-sponsored Women in Neurosurgery Career Symposium at the CNS meeting in Austin, Texas on Sunday, October 17, 2021, was well attended. The course directors were Dr. Ann Parr and Dr. Jennifer Sweet. Faculty included Drs. Ellen L. Air, Maya A. Babu, Deborah L. Benzil, Sheri Dewan, Odette Harris, Le He, Judith Rosman, Jennifer Strahle, Shelly D. Timmons, Hilarie C. Tomasiewicz.
The event provided evidence-based strategies, skills development, and educational tips to help the audience in various stages of their career to step into and succeed in leadership positions. With the goal of encouraging more women to either pursue a career in neurosurgery or to foster the careers of women in neurosurgery, the learning objectives of the course included:
- Possess an understanding of the basic skills and requirements for pursuing leadership positions
- Implement specific coping methods and networking skills to promote a career in a discipline in which men are traditionally predominant
- Acknowledge and help further the goals for the future of women in surgery and be empowered to move toward those goals