Podcast: Lifting the voices of women in medicine

Susan Bailey, MD, and Margaret Ferguson, MD, discuss the importance of equity in leadership

The latest episode of the Permanente Medicine Podcast with host Chris Grant takes a closer look at the importance of female leadership in medicine with 2 exceptional ambassadors. Susan Bailey, MD, president of the American Medical Association, and Margaret Ferguson, MD, MBA, pediatric hospitalist and president and executive medical director of the Colorado Permanente Medical Group, touch on challenges they faced along the road to becoming prominent leaders, important trends for women in the field, and advice for young physicians starting out in their careers.

Dr. Bailey, an allergist and immunologist practicing in Texas, delves into the path she took to becoming the American Medical Association’s 175th president and offers perspectives on what current trends in medicine mean for improving equity. Sharing her observations from over 16 years of CPMG leadership, Dr. Ferguson discusses the skills that she believes are essential for dynamic leadership, as well as how to lead effectively in today’s rapidly changing societal and medical landscape.

“I think everything we do is better when there are diverse opinions.”

— Susan Bailey, MD

“We need to make room for women to be lifted up in organizations.”

— Margaret Ferguson, MD

Listen to the podcast above, watch on YouTube, or download on iTunes. Connect with Dr. Bailey on Twitter at @subailey, Dr. Ferguson at @MargaretFergMD, and Grant at @cmgrant.