Engaging Peer Mentors for Opportunity, Well-Being, and Equity Realization-A Leadership Intervention for Women in Academic Medicine.

Abstract

Background: The underrepresentation of women in senior positions persists in academic medicine. Data-driven strategies are needed to catalyze advancement. Methods: We designed a novel, National Institutes of Health-funded intervention-Engaging Peer Mentors for Opportunity, Well-Being, and Equity Realization (EMPOWER) to be evaluated in a randomized study. This educational innovation was modeled on the Leadership Learning Model Framework developed for the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM)® program and integrated existing research and multidisciplinary content expertise. EMPOWER strives to support the career advancement of women faculty by cultivating fundamental leadership competencies implemented within a peer mentorship framework. Early outcomes surrounding perceptions, feasibility, as well as engagement are described. Results: We share the EMPOWER curriculum implemented among a national cohort of women clinician-scientists within a broader randomized trial design; 94 consenting participants were assigned to the intervention. Many participants (68%; n = 54) found EMPOWER valuable or very valuable for their personal or career development. It was easy or very easy for 79% (n = 63) of participants to access the online educational materials, and 61% (n = 49) attended all or almost all of the peer circle meetings. Conclusions: We describe EMPOWER, a novel, potentially scalable, virtual intervention, to address the unmet needs of women faculty in academic medicine at the pivotal transition to leadership. The EMPOWER intervention was feasible, and we report early lessons learned from its development. Future evaluation will include qualitative analyses and comparison of outcomes between program participants and control subjects.