Expanding CHEST’s ‘Women in Pulmonary’ Program

Why CHEST?

Now, why does this matter to us at CHEST? What can we do about it? How do we begin to tackle such a large issue that permeates nearly every facet of society?

CHEST is in a unique position to not only address the professional development needs of our female membership, but with the help and leadership of the CHEST Foundation and a new partnership with HealthyWomen, we are poised to address the gaps in education for our clinicians, patients, and the public.

To address these needs, the Women in Pulmonary program was created. Women in Pulmonary started as a yearly luncheon and has expanded into a yearlong program that will work to fill these gaps by not only elevating the wants and needs of women in pulmonary medicine, but also by bringing awareness to clinicians, patients, and the public on diseases that are not typically considered “women’s issues.”

CHEST and HealthyWomen are working to provide education, in the form of free webinars, multimedia resources, and live events to achieve the following outcomes:

Women in Pulmonary Medicine: CHEST and HealthyWomen aim to create the tools and educational opportunities that will empower our female clinicians to elevate their voices and become advocates for their career advancement, as well as improved diagnosis and treatment of women with pulmonary diseases.

Patients, Caregivers, and the Public: With this initiative, CHEST and HealthyWomen strive to empower women with the knowledge they need to become champions of their lung health. We will provide them with talking points, questions and awareness of symptoms of pulmonary conditions and diseases, such as: lung cancer, ILD/IPF, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, and asthma so that they are better able to go to their doctor appointments ready to advocate for the care they need.

Clinicians: CHEST and HealthyWomen will aim to equip all clinicians, not just women, with exposure and education that address gender differences in treatment and diagnosis of diseases like lung cancer, asthma, COPD, PH, and ILD/IPF.

Women in Pulmonary aims to provide essential education to every clinician treating women, promote awareness among patients and the public on key information to improve conversations with their health-care providers, and create opportunities for women in chest medicine to advance their careers through professional development, engagement, networking, and mentorship connections. This program will be one step in the direction of changing how women are viewed in medicine and how diseases are perceived across genders.
 

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