Career Development

WISMAC Career Development Series

The Women in Science and Medicine Advisory Committee (WISMAC) organizes and sponsors seminars/workshops to promote success of our trainees and/or junior faculty. In 2011 the Committee began collaborating with the Office for Faculty Development and the Office of Women's Careers (OWC).

Effective Negotiation Skills

Linda Wilcox, ombudsperson for Harvard Medical School, was WISMAC's guest speaker in November 2009. She advised attendees on how to handle conflicts, achieve agreement and maintain relationships for the future. Watch her presentation.

High Achievers in Academic Medicine and Multi-tasking: Is it Good for Brain Health?

This was the title of a 20-minute presentation given by Sandra Chapman, Ph.D., in WISMAC's Career Development Series. Watch her presentation.

Strong Woman Leaders: Stop Trying to Act Like a Man

Women are often advised to toughen up and “act like a man” to make it as a strong leader. This article however, proposes that the traits of a great leader (such as seeing the potential in others) are not gender-specific. Read more at ForbesWoman: The next-generation of female leaders will emerge at a faster pace when women stop trying to 'act like men'

Faculty Promotion and Tenure

WISMAC and the Office of Faculty Development organized a symposium on this topic in 2011. Speakers included the Medical School Dean and Chair of the Faculty Promotion & Tenure Committee.

Articles and Resources

Sex Differences in Academic Rank in US Medical Schools in 2014 by Anupam B. Jena, M.D., Ph.D., Dhruv Khullar, M.D., M.P.P., Oliver Ho, B.A., Andrew R. Olenski, BA, and Daniel M. Blumenthal, M.D., M.B.A., JAMA. 2015;314(11):1149-1158.

Sex Differences in Institutional Support for Junior Biomedical Researchers by Robert Sege, M.D., Ph.D., Linley Nykiel-Bub, B.A. and Sabrina Selk, Sc.D., JAMA (Research Letter). 2015; 314(11):1175-1177.

Addressing Disparities in Academic Medicine: Moving Forward by Carrie L. Byington, M.D. and Vivian Lee, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., JAMA. 2015; 314(11):1139-1141.

Primary Care of Preschool-Age Children Can Extend the "Tenure Clock" at UTSW

A faculty member who determines that certain personal circumstances impede his or her progress toward demonstrating suitability for tenure may make a written request for extension of the probationary period, specifying the reason(s) for the request.

Personal circumstances that may justify the extension include, but are not restricted to, disability or illness of the faculty member; status of the faculty member as a principal caregiver of a preschool child; or status of the faculty member as a principal caregiver of a disabled, elderly, or ill member of the family of the faculty member.

It is the responsibility of the faculty member to justify the request and provide appropriate documentation.