"Our goal is to foster the culture and opportunities for women at OHSU, towhich women are attracted, retained and excel."- Rebecca Harrison, MD, Associate Professor, Medicine

Our accomplishments

Representation of women in leadership at OHSU

WAM highlighted the lack of women on the Family Practice Plan committee (FPP) and the President’s advisory council to the Dean and President. We recruited OHSU women faculty who are ready to serve on these committees, sent these names to the leaders overseeing the make up of these committees, then followed up with face-to-face meetings with Dean Richardson and President Robertson to assess the process of diversifying leadership and discussed the need of creating a process to improve the pipeline/training of women in meaningful leadership positions at OHSU.

OHSU gender report

WAM gathers data to document the status of women in academic medicine at OHSU. These important gender reports are used to compare how OHSU compares to national AAMC data. We continue to disseminate the information from the report for key leaders and influential individuals, while creating action plans based on the data, with specific goals and targets, for effective change.

Child care at OHSU

WAM campaigned for a childcare facility for several years. In 2011, OHSU opened Healthy Starts Children's center at the South Waterfront campus, an accomplishment due largely to the efforts of the Women in Academic Medicine (WAM) committee.

President’s Council on Diversity

WAM raised awareness in a similar fashion with regards to the lack of diversity in the newly organized President’s Council. In this process, we focused on the Vision 2020 business case for diversity which stresses the importance of having diversity in order to attract top talent, promote innovation and creativity, flourish in a competitive market and maximize the return on our investment.

WAM expansion

Expansion of the WAM committee to residents and fellows, and researchers continues to provide diversity to committee of often underrepresented groups. Plans are underway to expand WAM to include representatives from other Schools at OHSU.

Underrepresented groups

Expansion of the WAM committee to residents and fellows, researcher and dental representation,  continues to provide diversity to committee of often underrepresented groups.

"For OHSU to succeed in this mission, it must identify and eliminate institutional barriers to success and provide more institutional support, not just for women but for the sake of attracting a diverse work force."- Charles E. Roselli, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology