For faculty in academic medicine, career growth and professional development often come with challenges. To explore these challenges and opportunities for growth, Sima Patel, M.D., FAES, FANA, an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Minnesota Medical School, began collaborating in 2021 with Jane B. Allendorfer, Ph.D., FAES, an Associate Professor of Neurology at UAB, and 24 investigators through the Women in Neurology Collaborative Study (WINCS).
Jane B. Allendorfer, Ph.D., FAES, and Sima Patel, M.D., FAES
The Heersink School of Medicine is excited to host Allendorfer and Patel for this month’s American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) lecture, where they will present, “Factors Affecting Faculty Achievements - Insights from 19 Academic Neurology Centers.”
Their research, involving more than 35 volunteers from across the country, highlights the ongoing barriers that underrepresented faculty face in academic neurology. We spoke with Allendorfer and Patel to gain further insights into their study and the challenges many encounter in the field of academic neurology.
A shared experience
The study's idea stemmed from Patel and her colleagues’ personal challenges with career advancement barriers. As a woman of color, she noticed patterns of bias in career advancement, including salary gaps, awards, invitations to speaking engagements, funding, and leadership opportunities.
“I realized that the experiences I had were felt by many physicians and scientists,” said Patel. “I thought that if I worked harder and smarter and contributed enough, I would naturally earn career advancement opportunities. But then I realized that implicit factors are working against my career advancement and that my experiences are shared by many across the country.”
After this realization, Patel reached out to the American Academy of Neurology’s Women in Neurology Special Interest Group for support, but the study initially faced challenges. Although faculty from some centers were interested, they lacked the time or resources to participate, especially since the project was unfunded.
“It’s quite impressive when you look at the number of participants who ended up volunteering their time and effort for an unfunded project,” she reflects. “I think it speaks to the urgency of addressing the problem at hand.”
Investigating the gap
By asking faculty members to self-report their achievements and perceptions, Patel, Allendorfer, and the WINCS team aimed to explore how gender and race influenced key aspects of scholarly opportunities.
“We looked at ten domains of academic achievement, using both an unadjusted and adjusted model to account for variables like hours worked, clinical time, and academic rank,” Patel explains. “We found that white men are more likely to be full professors and have more funded projects, awards, and invited guest speakerships. What’s interesting, though, is that this study found white women self-reported the highest in number of publications and in first and last authorships.”
One thing the study couldn’t account for was the impact of academic networks—who these leaders knew and how those relationships influenced their career trajectories.
“The data we found is actually very consistent with other studies,” Allendorfer adds. “This supports the patterns we were observing in our own data and supports the larger viewpoint that these inequities exist.”
Looking ahead: solutions and advice for faculty
Patel and Allendorfer recognize that their study is only the beginning. Their goal is not just to raise awareness, but also to identify solutions and offer practical advice for those navigating these barriers.
“It’s important [for early-career faculty] to create a mentorship network,” Allendorfer suggests. “Find mentors both within and outside your institution or department. Career development programs and networking at annual meetings are key to building that support system.”
Patel agrees with this sentiment, adding that leadership development is equally important. She states “I encourage early-career faculty to invest in leadership training, whether that be through a program or individual coaching. I would also urge them to stay focused on their core work. Early in your career, you’ll be asked to take on multiple assignments outside your primary responsibilities. It’s important to stay strategic and understand which tasks contribute to your long-term goals.”
Patel and Allendorfer also advise early-career faculty to define a few key goals and prioritize them. By being strategic about contributions, faculty can prevent burnout and ensure the delivery of impactful outcomes on their core projects.
Learn more
At noon on Thursday, Feb. 27, Allendorfer and Patel will join the Heersink School of Medicine via Zoom to present their findings.
Their talk will provide deeper insights into how the study was conceived and conducted and how the results could impact future academic opportunities for underrepresented faculty.
To learn more, register here.