Five Women Who Are Paving the Way in Medicine

Why highlight women in medicine?

Women have often faced significant barriers pursuing a variety of higher education opportunities and typically male-dominated professions, including medicine. Now that women are empowered to bring their unique perspectives to the field, their work regularly advances medical research and innovation. Yet women still face a range of challenges, including underpayment and underrepresentation, particularly in leadership roles. 

In recognizing Women in Medicine Month, we’re not only praising top performers, but also raising awareness for improving gender equality and the need to address historical disparities. As women continue to take on more active roles in medicine, they’re also becoming role models for future generations and offering diverse perspectives, which improves patient care by creating a more equitable and effective healthcare system. 

The following five women have made incredible contributions to the medical field. Read on to learn more about these doctors and their admirable contributions to both medicine and society.

Dr. Eliza Chin

Dr. Eliza Chin, Executive Director of the American Women’s Medical Association (AMWA), understands what it means to be a leader in healthcare. With a focus on vision, resilience, and advocacy, her numerous leadership roles have empowered women to excel. 

Dr. Chin acknowledges that it can be challenging to juggle the demands of being a mother and a powerful woman in healthcare, which drove her to seek guidance and inspiration from other women in medicine. It was this personal quest that sparked a profound realization: There’s a strong need for women in medicine to hear other voices like theirs and to speak to women’s specific experiences. Thus, her publication, This Side of Doctoring: Reflections from Women in Medicine, showcases a variety of women working in medicine. 

As she continues her career, Dr. Chin utilizes her role as the Executive Director of AMWA to champion the cause of equity, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare. During her tenure in leadership, she’s been instrumental in developing the AMWA Networking Alliance, an initiative designed to forge connections among women in medicine and support their professional growth. 

Dr. Chin also serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Through these roles, she continues to shape the future of medicine and be a role model for other women to follow in her footsteps. 

Dr. Katrina Green

Emergency medicine physician Dr. Katrina Green practices in Nashville, Tennessee, and is an active member of the Tennessee Medical Association. She’s also the chair of the AMWA Advisory Committee and an at-large board member of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. 

Her influence in shaping the state of emergency medicine in Tennessee cannot be overstated. In a state known for its conservative stance on many issues, Dr. Green doesn’t shy away from voicing her opinion. She champions healthcare-related legislation, fights against medical misinformation, and supports access to healthcare. She writes for the Tennessee Lookout, advocating for change in high-profile areas such as gun control and women’s bodily autonomy. Through various committees and organizations, she fights for reproductive and LGBTQ rights, making her a vital force in a landscape that often resists change.

She’s a champion for fellow women in medicine, too, as she advises her peers to “make sure that you’re able to keep the passion for medicine alive, whether that means trying to improve conditions at your workplace on a committee, volunteering outside the hospital, or mentoring others.” Dr. Green’s own career is a testament to her philosophy of balancing passion with practicality. When faced with unfavorable conditions at her previous workplace, she didn’t hesitate to seek a better environment that aligned with her values. Leading by example is just one of the ways in which she helps to clear a path for other women in medicine. 

Dr. Green’s journey in medicine is one not just about being a great emergency medicine physician but also about helping society progress along with science and medicine. Her path is one of relentless dedication to her patients, her community, and her ideals. 

Dr. Janis Green

A healthcare leader and gynecologic surgeon, Dr. Janis Green, works daily to decrease healthcare disparities. In her journey as a medical professional, she’s worked tirelessly to bridge gaps in healthcare, especially for marginalized communities. In her practice, she is double board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology in addition to Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, specializing in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery

Dr. Green is a proven leader who focuses on innovation and isn’t afraid to face complex medical issues. She oversees medical staff operations and medical education programs, such as the hospital’s initiative to combat systemic maternal care issues faced by women of color. Under her guidance, this program is effectively reshaping the systemic issues found in maternal care. Part of this initiative includes training all staff who care for pregnant women to recognize and overcome their own biases. It also focuses on preventative care. As a dedicated provider, Dr. Green continues to inspire women in medicine and to improve healthcare for all women. 

Dr. Green currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Holy Cross Health and the VPMA of Holy Cross Hospital. Her leadership not only focuses on overseeing operations but also supports pioneering initiatives to combat racism in medicine. Additionally, she champions improving Black women’s maternal health and bridging the divide between the Black community and medical providers. 

Dr. Reetu Singh

Dr. Reetu Singh is the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In her role, she strives to improve the overall quality of healthcare, demonstrating what it means to be a leader in the field. Dr. Singh oversees medical staff, service line medical directors, system quality, and more. 

Dr. Singh worked hard to take this path. Before becoming senior vice president and CMO, she held other leadership roles, including medical director of hospital medicine, regional chief medical information officer, and system director of clinical documentation. 

Dr. Singh has worked to proactively stabilize the workforce in her healthcare system, empowering physicians and helping them develop into better leaders. As the healthcare workforce evolves, she seeks ways to support healthcare workers by leveraging technology and devising strategies to reduce burnout. She has a strong focus on the future and improving healthcare in her community through provider education and population health initiatives. Her work is pivotal in improving the healthcare landscape for both providers and patients. 

Dr. Susan Thompson Hingle

As the current president of the AMWA, Dr. Susan Thompson Hingle strives to close the gender gap, focusing on the specific issues women in medicine face daily. She’s committed to advancing women in the field, changing the culture of medicine, and ensuring that women physicians can thrive. From the early days of her career, Dr. Hingle has been driven by a vision of a more equitable and supportive environment for women physicians, which guided her as she contributed to the influential report Women in Medicine: Setting the Agenda for Change. It was through this work that she first began to shape a broader dialogue on gender equity in the medical field. 

Dr. Hingle also co-chaired AMWA’s 2022 Annual Meeting, authored the American College of Physicians (ACP) policy paper on gender equity in physician compensation and career advancement, and serves on the board of directors of the AMWA. Through these leadership roles, she plays an important role in bringing women in healthcare together to drive change and create a more equitable environment. 

As evidenced by the many awards she’s received, including the Golden Apple Award, the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, and the Most Influential Faculty Award, Dr. Hingle has enjoyed an illustrious career. She’s an impressive educator and a professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Humanities. She also serves as Associate Dean for Human and Organizational Potential, Chair of the Department of Medical Humanities, and Director of Faculty Development at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. 

The Future is Bright for Women in Medicine

These remarkable women have made significant contributions to medical research, patient care, and innovation while also demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities that inspire others. Their accomplishments have opened doors for more women to enter and excel in the medical field, helping to bridge gender gaps and create a more equitable healthcare system that benefits all.

Celebrating the accomplishments of women in medicine not only shines a spotlight on women's issues in STEM fields like medicine but also promotes diversity and inclusivity in the medical industry by showcasing inspirational female figures making a difference. By acknowledging and honoring these trailblazers, we can inspire future generations to pursue careers in medicine and contribute to advancements in healthcare to benefit society as a whole.

This article was created in partnership with Osmosis from Elsevier and the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) to highlight the significant contributions of each woman on this list in advancing the role of women in the field of medicine.