Women In Thoracic Surgery

To further the achievements of women practicing thoracic surgery by providing mutual support and facilitating professional advancement President’s Corner Fall and funding. The WTS has 2015 Issue also planned a session during the STS entitled, “30th Year Commemoration of 3 Congratulations! the WTS: Innovations and Contributions of WTS and STS Members” with topics 4 Scanlan Traveling including: Changes in the Fellowship Demographics of the ABTS Resident’s Feature - Diplomates Since 1961, By: Jennifer S. Lawton, MD 7 Having a baby as a The Untapped Potential of resident Women as Leaders, Pioneers In 2016, Women in Thoracic and Significant Contributions Surgical Citizenship Surgery will celebrate its 30th in the Last 30 years in 10 Anniversary. Congenital Surgery, Pioneers and Significant Contributions There are so many exciting in the Last 30 years in Adult 12 Social Media Update things planned at both the Cardiac Surgery, Pioneers STS and AATS meetings in and Significant Contributions Getting to know you 2016! At the 52nd Annual in the Last 30 years in 14 - Leslie Kohman meeting of the STS in Thoracic Surgery, Mentoring Phoenix, we are fortunate Female Surgeons, and Scholarship Program to have Dr. Nora Burgess Diversity in Cardiothoracic 16 Announcements as the invited speaker at Surgery and the Future – the WTS Reception. She will What Will our Specialty Look discuss the history of the Like? At the 96th Annual 18 AATS Networking WTS. The WTS Early Riser meeting of the AATS in reception 2015 photos Session planned by Dr. Baltimore, the WTS also has Valerie Williams will focus a special session planned – Elizabeth’s Editorial on Patient – Centered Care more on this to come! 20 and Research and include Members should be sure to topics of survivorship, stop by the Scanlan booth at surveillance, and research Continued... 2 ORACLE FALL 2015 Continued... these lucky women to our reception and to the the STS meeting. The Scanlan meeting. family has generously Mentoring is vital and supported the WTS 30th year important to the future of our anniversary lapel pin (figure) specialty. By mentoring and that will be available to all sponsoring students and WTS members at the Scanlan responses of friends and residents and colleagues, booth. family members to various we not only foster many Dr. Leah Backhus and questions regarding women wonderful careers, but we undergraduate student Alexa cardiothoracic surgeons. also guarantee a bright Lowe have worked very hard We also look forward to future for our specialty and to create a video of WTS mentoring WTS scholarship for the WTS for many years to members and their families winners at the STS meeting. come. that will be displayed at the Scholarship chair Dr. Lauren I hope you will all join WTS reception at the STS. Kane has been working on us at the 30th anniversary The very entertaining video the selection process and we celebration in January at the portrays the spontaneous look forward to welcoming STS! WTS Leadership 2015

Officers Board of Directors

President Jennifer Lawton Jennifer Lawton Vice President Jessica Donington Jessica Donington Shanda Blackmon Secretary/Treasurer Shanda Blackmon Virginia Litle Yolonda Colson Committee Chairs Daniela Molena Leah Backhus Mentoring Lana Schumacher Patricia Thistlethwaite Web Site Editor/Social Media Director Mara Antonoff The Oracle Editor Elizabeth David Membership Meena Nathan International Membership Kathleen Fenton and Members at Large Daniela Molena Jane Yanagawa Photo Archivist Rebecca Wolfer Iva Smolens Bylaws Vanessa Gibson Emily Farkas Scholarships Lauren Kane Tara Karamlou Program Chair Valerie Williams Lauren Kane Resident Liason Lisa Brown Industry Liaison Kristine Guleserian Historian Melanie Edwards Resident’s Forum Past Presidents Marisa Cevasco Leslie Kohman Mercedes Dullum Hannah Copeland Phyllis Edwards Margarita Camacho Katie O’Keefe Danielle Smith Jemi Olak Nora L. Burgess Elizabeth Stephens Rosalyn Scott Yolonda Colson Andrea (A.jay) Carpenter Virginia Litle FALL 2015 ORACLE 3 Congratulations to the new Diplomates of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery!

Kumari Adams Svetlana Kotova Mara Antonoff Kathryn O’Keefe Lisa Brown Subhadra Shashidharan Michelle Ellis Jennifer Sullivan Puja Gaur Nicole Sydow Taryne Imai Alexandra Tuluca Karen Meekyong Kim Jennifer Worth

Great work, Ladies! We are so proud of you!

Congratulations to the newly elected female members of the AATS announced at the 2015 AATS Annual Meeting!

Shanda H. Blackmon

Joanna Chikwe

Jessica Donington 4 ORACLE FALL 2015 Congenital Heart Surgery, Ethics, and Life in Central America Scanlan/WTS Traveling Mentorship Award 2015

By Dr. Laura Seese

Dr. Seese is in her first year organizations to operate on brigade and the second of the I-6 training program children who need but lack in Managua, Nicaragua at University of Pittsburgh access to heart surgery. The where I was integrated into Medical Center. only issue with this lofty goal Dr. Fenton’s life as a full-time is that I had previously not international congenital At almost every residency actually seen international heart surgeon. interview day, there is at least congenital heart surgery The first portion of the trip one interviewer who will ask and thus had no evidence was spent in Tegucigalpa, the applicant to describe her that the international Honduras at an old dream job or perhaps where aspect of my dream job sanatorium that has since she sees herself in ten years. was feasible. In March of been converted into Instituto My dream job is to work as 2015, as a recipient of the Nacional Cardiopulmonar a congenital heart surgeon Scanlan/Women in Thoracic “El Torax,” an active hospital at an academic institution Surgery Traveling Mentorship for multiple disciplines in the United States where I Award and under the including pediatric cardiac will be able to independently mentorship of Dr. Kathleen surgery. Since “El Torax” partner with international Fenton, I had the pleasure of is missing several of the traveling to Tegucigalpa, key members required Honduras and Managua, for a successful pediatric Nicaragua where I cardiac surgery team, the discovered the inherent hospital relies on medical struggles of operating in brigades to volunteer their a foreign environment, the services to help the children unwavering commitment in Honduras as well as to required to treat each help train the local medical patient, and the ultimately personnel to provide care the rewarding nature of for patients with congenital international congenital heart defects. The first day of heart surgery. My two week this two-week long brigade trip was sectioned into is the pre-operative clinic separate phases the first day where the brigade’s in Tegucigalpa, Honduras cardiologists, surgeons, and where I was able to work anesthesiologist see the Laura at work as part of a medical Continued... FALL 2015 ORACLE 5 Continued... top-notch critical care team. The next portion of the hundreds of patients who trip was based in Managua, line up outside the hospital Nicaragua where I was hoping to be chosen for able to stay with Dr. Fenton one of the forty operative and be fully integrated into spots. After the patients her life as an international had been selected, I spent congenital heart surgeon. time learning about each During my time in aspect of international Managua, I scrubbed on an congenital heart surgery, atrioventricular canal repair from the preoperative and took night call with assessment, to the Dr. Hernandez, a pediatric operative procedures, to the intensivist, post-operatively anesthetic considerations to see the full spectrum of and monitoring, to the our patient's care at Salud intraoperative and post- Integral, a private hospital in Laura and Dr. Harder operative ECHO reads, and Managua. I was also able to finally the post-operative explore the differences in the non-functional anesthesia intensive care period. The types of health care delivery machines, and a single nurse entire course of a patient’s systems (i.e. private hospitals for multiple wards of post- care is much different on versus public hospital operative patients. Over time, an international stage. In systems) by operating with I found myself disheartened place of the seemingly Dr. Fenton’s colleagues at by the inequality in levels endless resources we utilize a nearby public hospital of care between the in United States, brigade- in Leon, Nicaragua. A private and public system based international surgery very striking reality for me but fortunately there are is isolated to a very narrow was that there are clear physicians, like Dr. Fenton and window for recovery time disparities in levels of care her colleagues in Asociacion and operates with limited patients receive at the Programa Corazon Abierto, resources, which makes this private and public systems in whose professional desire is surgery environment even Nicaragua. The private or fee to provide private level care higher stakes emphasizing for service system is almost for children with congenital the importance of patient identical to the health heart defects who would selection, surgeon skill, and a care received in the United otherwise not have a way States with individual to financially access to rooms, technologically heart surgery. In a country advanced operating with a challenging political rooms, electronic climate, running a non-profit medical records, and organization, like Asociacion one-to-one nursing care Programa Corazon Abierto, in the intensive care that provides free heart unit. The public system, surgery is not an easy task on the other hand, has for any of the team members post-operative patients involved and clearly requires sharing beds with each a sacrificial attitude and an other in roach infested unwavering commitment to wards, outdated the children of Nicaragua. Laura and Dr. Fenton operating rooms with Continued... 6 ORACLE FALL 2015 Continued... health systems in Nicaragua, I came to these Latin we further explored the American countries with the In addition to her work ethical implications for impression that “machismo” as a surgeon, Dr. Fenton is those who profit from the ideals would infiltrate and also an ethicist. Many of private healthcare system dominate the workplace. I our casual conversations but choose not to invest in could not have been more outside the operating room improving the public health wrong. With the feminization focused on ethical dilemmas sector. We also discussed the of many words in Spanish, in congenital heart surgery ethical and patient safety the idea of a “doctora” and the world of medicine at issues that arise from working or a female physician is large. We discussed how to in country with a challenging deeply engrained in the appropriately merge ethical political atmosphere where culture and the vocabulary implications with the clinical occasionally surgeons may as a separate but equally indications for patient be hired based on their valuable member of the selection in brigade-based political affiliations instead of medical team. The female surgery. We also explored their qualifications. physicians, surgeons, and how surgeons handle the Lastly, since the Scanlan/ resident trainees who I pressure of knowing that one WTS Traveling mentorship worked with were treated technical mistake could cost scholarship is sponsored with the utmost respect and a child’s life as well as how in part by the Women without confusion as to their to eventually feel absolved in Thoracic Surgery role on the health care team. following a bad outcome organization, I made it a Overall, I am abundantly when associated with point to observe the way grateful to Women in surgeon error. Considering patients, colleagues, and Thoracic Surgery, Scanlan how affected I was by the communities treated female International, and Dr. disparity between the two surgeons. Interestingly, Kathleen Fenton for the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua and Honduras to explore the international aspect of my future career in congenital heart surgery that I am now even more invested in making a reality. When starting my residency in integrated cardiothoracic surgery this summer, I know I will carry the lessons Private Hospital learned from Dr. Fenton, her colleagues, Central America, and of course every patient. I am so thankful for this opportunity to have traveled to Central America to unearth discoveries about myself, my desired career, and the world of congenital heart surgery beyond the shores of the United States.

Public Hospital FALL 2015 ORACLE 7 Resident’s Feature Having a baby as a Resident The Holy Grail (mother, wife, & surgeon): It Is Possible By Amanda L Eilers, DO

Dr. Eilers is a PGY5 in the crossed along my journey miracles, and it hit me: I Integrated Cardiothoracic who either hinted to or frankly wanted to have a baby. My Surgery training program said things like “that’s not a husband didn’t believe me. at University of Texas Health career for a woman” or “you He thought it was phase, Science Center at San will never be able to have and only agreed to pursue Antonio. children or a family.” I didn’t pregnancy if I said I wanted respond to their comments, to have a baby for 30 days Holy Grail: Something that charged full steam ahead, straight. Further, we knew it you want very much but and didn’t look back. would be a challenge with that is very hard to get or Fast forward to my second my training/career, along achieve (Merriam Webster) year in my cardiothoracic with his job where he worked surgery residency, on a late and on weekends When I was approached pediatric surgery rotation. as well. We would need to write about having a baby I thought I would hate it – I help. We approached our during my cardiothoracic never baby-sat, in fact my parents, and asked if they surgery residency I had first job was at a horse- would commit to helping several reactions and training facility at the age of us, particularly our mothers. emotions: pride, honor, 14 shoveling horse manure. They both agreed with accomplishment, frustration, However, there I was in enthusiasm. and surprise. Here is why. the NICU gazing at all the I attended the STS 50th For a little background, I beautiful babies, fascinated, grew up in rural Wisconsin, in love with all the little Continued... was a 4H kid, tomboy, athlete, and wanted to be a heart surgeon since I can remember. Having a family really wasn’t a priority to me at that time. I met my husband the summer before starting college at age 18, and he was well aware of my aspirations. And to be honest I didn’t think it was possible to be a mother and a surgeon…maybe it was the perceived unwritten “rule” or frequent comments I received from people I 8 ORACLE FALL 2015 Continued...

Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL in 2014. It was a great meeting, but what really hit home was Dr. Douglas Wood’s presidential address. He spent a significant amount of time addressing the lack of women in our specialty, the benefit of women in our field, and to that end charging our society to recruit and support women in our specialty. Shortly after my return is a vacation, they never had much less a cardiothoracic home from this meeting, my a baby or are out of touch surgery resident. Some days it husband and I found out we with reality. It was the hardest would be 18 hours between were expecting. Excitement thing I have ever done (it pumping; it was a daily was mixed with shear fear: was more demanding than challenge. I was proud of was I really prepared and taking call every other day myself for providing for my ready for this? at busy University Hospital). son for 6 months, however, at Challenge is no stranger Recuperating from childbirth, that point I could no longer to me, or any other surgery trying to find a “routine” with keep up and had to stop. resident for that matter. a newborn, and providing I heard of the term However, I underestimated nourishment for our child “mommy guilt” before having the degree of difficulty were overwhelming. It a baby, but didn’t quite associated with having seemed like I didn’t sleep for appreciate the meaning a baby and becoming weeks straight, and before I of it until after having Liam. a mother. Thankfully my knew it, it was time to head With my busy schedule there pregnancy was “easy;” back to work. The saving would be days that passed I wasn’t plagued with grace on that first day back by that I wouldn’t see my morning sickness or any to work was that I left our son son, except a kiss goodbye other significant health with my mother. in the morning when he was issue. It wasn’t until the While back at work I found sleeping, and then another last 2 months or so that it immediate acceptance when I got home long after became more physically into the “sisterhood” of he went to bed. It broke my demanding, especially with mothers, particularly working heart. The term should really our rigorous call schedule. mothers. Many of the nurses be “parent guilt” as new dads Approximately 30 minutes I work with on a daily basis (or any dad) I know have the after I put in a chest tube for became my biggest support same feelings as a working a pneumothorax on a post- group, and provided much parent. Thank goodness for operative patient my water needed wisdom for a new technology though! Each broke. Over 15 hours later mother. As like many first time day my mother or mother- we welcomed our son, Liam, mothers, I became obsessed in-law send pictures or into our lives. It was the best with providing nourishment videos of Liam, and after a day of our lives. Now the real for our son. Pumping is a long case I look forward to challenges came. If anyone labor of love, especially when ever tells you maternity leave you are a working mother, Continued... FALL 2015 ORACLE 9 Continued... laundry, he has been the women to enter surgical foundation of our family. fields we also need to opening up those precious While we have come support a woman’s desire messages. The saying “quality along way, there is still a and decision to have over quantity” is what I try to long way to go. For example, children. As Dr. Wood shared live by, and the days I have I recently saw a consult in in his presidential address off I put aside work until after the ER (at 2:30am). I was we, as women, have a great he goes to bed for the night. flattered when the ER staff deal to offer as surgeons. I am hopeful, however, that told me I was “too nice Although it is a daily someday my son will admire to be a cardiothoracic challenge to find balance in the commitment I have to my surgeon.” I smiled, felt a little my life as a mother, wife, and patients, and that I care for spunky (even at 2:30 in the surgeon I wouldn’t trade this them as if they are my own morning) and said “well, experience and opportunity family…even if it means I miss times are changing…I even for anything. My outlook on a family dinner, a sporting had a baby 9 months ago.” life is somehow richer now, event he may have, or a What surprised me was his and I cannot put this into birthday celebration. response: “They let you have words. I look at the ups and I am forever grateful for the a baby?” I’m sure my mouth downs of life in a different love and support I received dropped in complete shock, light now, and believe this and continue to receive did that really come out of makes me a better mother, from my second family at his mouth? I was frustrated wife, and surgeon. UTHSCSA, including my and surprised. I fellow residents, the nurse started to think, practioners, nurses, and all have any of my of my staff. I am even more male colleagues thankful for the countless ever received this women who came before type of response me, being the brave women when they shared breaking down the barriers the news of the of what it means to be birth of their child? a surgeon. And for those This is what we women who have already need to change. found the holy grail as being There can still be a mother, wife, and surgeon; an unsupportive they remain some of my atmosphere at closest mentors and friends. times regarding if The real hero, however, in my and when women journey toward motherhood physicians should has been my husband. He have children. has also challenged the With definition of what it means to approximately be a father and a husband. fifty percent of Whether it is packing me medical school a lunch during a hectic graduating classes morning to get me off to work comprised of on time, getting up in the women we need middle of the night to feed or to set a different change our son, or keeping tone. If we want up on the overflowing to encourage 10 ORACLE FALL 2015 Surgical Citizenship Attendance and Participation in a Surgical Meeting

By Drs Elizabeth A David and Yolonda Colson

Many of us have attended national meetings before and many of us have felt intimated at those meetings and wondered if it really mattered if we were there. The following are some questions that you may have asked yourself and some thoughts that you can consider the next time these questions pop into your head…

Why should I attend a meeting?

• Attending meetings is an excellent way to obtain CME credits and maintain your lifelong education. • Meetings are opportunities to NETWORK include the discussions in • Prepare follow-up with other surgeons. publications and by asking questions in case your • For those in small questions we can increase original question is asked by practices, they are a nice our visibility and presence in someone else. opportunity to REUNITE with our field. • Go the microphone old friends/peers and obtain • By getting up to the quickly to avoid having your comradery that you may not microphone, it shows people question scooped. experience on a daily basis. who you are! It shows people that you are the If I am in private practice, Why is asking a question in a surgeon! should I ask questions? session important? How can you prepare to ask • YES!!! • For many of us, going questions? • It is crucially important to the microphone to pose that non-academic a question after a talk is • Read through the perspectives are represented very intimidating, but it is so abstract book and prepare at national meetings. important. questions for sessions you • By asking questions, • Many journals now know you will be attending. Continued... FALL 2015 ORACLE 11 Continued... before or are intimidated, in the entire session, by there are WTS members asking questions! private practice physicians who are willing to help you • If a manuscript is required can help dispel the “ivory prepare. finish it early and consider tower” and represent what • Prepare 2-3 questions sending it to your moderators happens in the “real world” for each abstract in the early to help generate between patients and session prior to the session, discussion. surgeons. in case no one else has any • Finally, have fun! questions. Remember to smile, and look If I am asked to discuss like you want to be there a paper or moderate a If I am presenting in a – you worked hard to get session, what should I do? session, what should I do? there!

• Say yes! If you keep • Arrive early at the session The Oracle is starting saying no, people will stop and stay for the entire session a new recurring series asking. • Introduce yourself to which will focus on Surgical • If there is a legitimate the moderators and other Citizenship with emphasis reason that you cannot speakers, this is another on how we can increase our participate, suggest opportunity to network contributions to our field. If someone else (consider • If you have video in your you have ideas for topics suggesting another woman). talk, arrive early and make or would like to contribute, • Don’t say no because sure that it plays please contact Dr. David you have never done it • Be an active participant ([email protected]).

Women in Thoracic Surgery Book

History of the WTS organization and women pioneers in thoracic surgery

Cost: $150.00 Please send check payable to Dr. Shanda H. Blackmon 200 First St SW Rochester, MN 55905 12 ORACLE FALL 2015

Social Media Update: #ILookLikeASurgeon

By Mara B Antonoff, MD

For any of you who may scrutiny, as critics suggested “#ILookLikeAnEngineer,” have been on Facebook or that the advertisements aiming to battle sexism in Twitter in recent weeks, you featuring Ms. Wenger were the world of technology. might have noticed your intended to appeal to male Her efforts were quickly friends, colleagues, and consumers, with a backlash supported by thousands of peers posting photographs of comments suggesting women who took to social of themselves, along with a that “real” engineers don’t media outlets, showing that tagline “#ILookLikeASurgeon.” look like the woman in the they, too, look like engineers. What’s it all about, and how billboard. Thus, to change the Heather Logghe, MD, a did it start? way that people think about surgical research resident in Earlier this summer, engineers, Continued... a 22-year old female Wenger created Figure 1 engineer named Isis the hashtag Wenger appeared in an Heather Logghe, MD @LoggheMD - Aug 19 Introducing the future home of the advertisement for her global #ILookLikeASurgeon community! employer’s recruiting ilooklikeasurgeon.org campaign, as the company was looking to recruit more #ILookLikeASurgeon engineers. The campaign #HumanizeTheProfession #ChallengeStereotypes #CelebrateDiversity came under much public #BeTheChange FALL 2015 ORACLE 13 Continued... with many of our members the OR, from your home life, participating (Figure 3). For from a national meeting, Chapel Hill, saw the trend, those of you who shared participating in your favorite and she wondered if it may your photos with the world, hobby, or anything that be time to show the surgical we all owe thanks to you for characterizes you—and community (and the world representing our organization show the world how well at large) just how a surgeon and our specialty so well. you represent surgeons. Post might look (Figure 1). A new For those who haven’t your photo on Facebook hashtag was born, and Dr. yet had the opportunity, or Twitter with the tag Logghe found immediate it’s not too late. Find your #ILookLikeASurgeon. Let’s support for her claims that favorite snapshot—from show the world who we are! she Looks Like a Surgeon. #ILookLikeASurgeon has Figure 2 taken off, with more than 30,000 tweets in the month of August and over 100 million impressions, based on analytics from symplur.com (Figure 2). Twitter impressions are the number of accounts to which the message was delivered, essentially meaning that over 100 million Twitter users had the chance to see what a surgeon really might look like. Logghe has gained massive exposure for starting this trend, and, in an interview with Today on August 12th, 2015, she explained, “It is Figure 3 hard to find role models that remind you of yourself as a woman in surgery. It’s been so traditionally male and unfortunately so many of the female role models have had to conform to the male stereotypes to survive.” Logghe has explained that her goal for the hashtag was to allow all types of surgeons to show the world how they look, incorporating diversity in terms of sex, race, age, and those with disabilities. This phenomenal trend has been embraced by the Women in Thoracic Surgery, 14 ORACLE FALL 2015 Getting to Know You – Dr. Leslie Kohman

By: Melanie Edwards, MD

This is a profile of Dr. Leslie University, she was accepted Kohman: Founder of the into the 6th graduating class Women in Thoracic Surgery in the school of medicine at (WTS) and a leader in Pennsylvania State University thoracic oncology. in Hershey. At that time, the charter of the medical The path to surgery school was to train primary changed his mind and In 1985, Leslie Kohman’s care practitioners who opted not to take on a new breakfast and lunch would serve the population partner at that time. Later invitations to female in Pennsylvania. With her she would discover that a surgeons she encountered outgoing personality and male surgeon had been at meetings coalesced knowing that she would hired instead. Undeterred, Dr. into what is now Women in “never be bored,” primary Kohman settled in Norwich, Thoracic Surgery. Her path to care appeared to be the New York, took out a small this pivotal role in our history perfect fit until she met business loan and started a began at the age of six Dr. Jane Petrow, the chief solo practice. There, she was with dreams of becoming resident during her surgery one of two surgeons in a a physician. In spite of this rotation. Jane clearly saw small town where the general early interest in medicine, the potential surgeon and surgeons also did obstetrics, she entered the liberal arts convinced her to pursue a orthopedics, maxillofacial program at Oberlin College career in surgery. surgery, vascular and focused on poetry until thoracic surgery and even persuaded to take a science Early surgical career primary care. Dr. Kohman class during her sophomore Dr. Kohman never looked enjoyed this variety, but drew year. This was an eye- back, excelling in the general the line at primary care. opening study of evolution surgery program at the The two years spent in and from then on, Leslie was Guthrie Clinic where smaller Norwich proved to be quite hooked, transferring to Boston residency classes allowed the learning experience. College to pursue a more for individualized attention There were the clinical science-based curriculum. from the faculty. Intending challenges posed by She initially planned to to practice general surgery, working with a part-time attend graduate school to she worked on lining up a anesthesiologist who was study paleontology and the job in rural Pennsylvania. also the town’s family evolution of mammals, but in Things seemed to be going doctor and so would leave the process of deciding her well in the interview process, the operating room in the life’s path, her early interest however after the second middle of a case to deliver in becoming a physician visit she was inexplicably not a baby. On the business resurfaced and solidified into offered the job. The employer side, an employee of hers a clear goal. After working cited an economic downturn for a year in a lab at Tuft’s as the reason that he had Continued... FALL 2015 ORACLE 15 Continued...

was discovered embezzling funds and after two years, Dr. Kohman was ready for a more stable surgical practice. She had always enjoyed thoracic surgery, so when a PGY-6 opening occurred in the residency program at State University of New York (SUNY) in Syracuse, New York, she took the opportunity without hesitation.

Becoming a General Thoracic Surgeon The initial training position offered Dr. Kohman no guarantees for the future, but she was able to secure a second year and, importantly, board eligibility, allowing her to become the 37th woman certified operation, in its infancy at thoracic oncology she rose by the American Board of the time. After seven years to become head of both Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Kohman studying neonatal perfusion the Thoracic Surgery and stayed on as cardiac surgery using rabbits, Dr. Kohman the Surgery sections of the faculty in Syracuse and also was asked to assume the CALGB. In Syracuse, she built engaged in basic science clinical responsibilities of a a General Thoracic Surgery research, working with Dr. general thoracic surgeon service and became the Ed Bove on the physiologic who was on sabbatical, and director of the thoracic aspects of the Norwood as a result, had less time for surgery residency program, her laboratory commitments. one of several leadership She gradually took on more positions held. Currently, general thoracic cases until Dr. Kohman is the Medical it comprised the majority of Director of the Upstate her practice, and cites two of Cancer Center where she her happiest days as when recently spearheaded the she stopped doing cardiac building of a $74 million state surgery and when she closed of the art facility that opened the rabbit lab. in 2014. Dr. Kohman went on to become a leader in lung WTS – Inception and early cancer research and years remains an active member It was in the early 1980s of the Alliance for Clinical that Dr. Kohman was asked Trials in Oncology. Through how many women there her passionate work in Continued... 16 ORACLE FALL 2015 Continued... program directors inquiring surgeons joined the effort to if they had women in their organize. By sheer force of were in thoracic surgery training programs. Dr. Cooley will these early pioneers who at the time. She had no in responding indicated, included Dr. Valerie Rusch, idea but embarked on a “we have not had a suitable Dr. Jemi Olak and the late mission not only to find applicant.” Notwithstanding, Dr. Carolyn Reed, were able out the number, but also the quest to bring women to reach a critical mass and to bring these women together continued and create the structure of what together. Inspired by the through collaborations is known today as the WTS. work Dr. Patricia Nunann with other women, namely These days the organization had done in founding the Margaret D. Allen, a heart is large enough that Dr. AWS, Dr. Kohman invited transplant surgeon, the Kohman finds it difficult to women she encountered efforts bore fruit. Soon her know everyone’s name and at meetings to breakfast or persistence was rewarded she considers this a good lunch. She wrote letters to as other female thoracic problem.

WTS Scholarship Program

By Dr. Lauren Kane

The WTS Scholarship As health care costs are STS Looking to the Future Program is embarking on it’s driven by more complex and Scholarship are ineligible, 12th year and we are looking expensive procedures and though previous applicants forward to meeting the next pharmacotherapy, how does are encouraged to apply. group of accomplished society decide who gets • Application young women who are them? Requirements: Eligible medical students or surgical applicants will be required to trainees interested in Essays are limited to submit an online application, cardiothoracic surgery. The 100 words. We will begin including a brief topical scholarship includes the accepting applications in essay question. Society of Thoracic Surgeons late September 2015. The Applications will also open (STS) meeting registration deadline will be in early soon for the WTS/Scanlan fees, hotel accommodations, November. Winners will be Traveling Fellowships – Stay $500 in travel expenses and highlighted on the WTS Tuned to www.wtsnet.org/ probably most importantly, website as well as in the scholarship provides the recipients with Oracle. a dedicated mentor to help • Eligibility: Women them navigate and network medical students and at the STS 52nd Annual resident physicians training Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in an accredited thoracic January 23-27, 2016. or general surgery program Applicants will write are eligible to apply. Please an essay discussing the note that previous recipients following topic: of a WTS Scholarship or an FALL 2015 ORACLE 17

The WTS would like to thank its Institutional Members for their support:

Boston Children’s Hospital Brigham and Women’s Hospital Cleveland Clinic Duke University Loma Linda University Massachusetts General Hospital Mayo Clinic Medical University of South Carolina New York University School of Medicine Northwestern University Southern Illinois University University of Cincinnati University of Colorado University of Louisville University of Michigan Medical School University of Mississippi Medical Center University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Pittsburgh Medical Center The Ohio State University University of Rochester University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center University of Virginia University of Washington Vanderbilt University Washington University in St. Louis

Is your institution a member of the WTS? If not, click here for more information. 18 ORACLE FALL 2015 AATS Neworking reception 2015 FALL 2015 ORACLE 19 AATS Neworking reception 2015 20 ORACLE FALL 2015 Elizabeth’s Editorial Why Should We Celebrate Anniversaries?

By: Elizabeth A David, MD

Anniversaries are together, it is important for synonymous with weddings, all of us to understand our celebrations, and parties, but history as an organization. there is more to them than If you have not done so, that. Why do we celebrate it is important to read the them and why should we Women in Thoracic Surgery: A celebrate them? For married Brief History by Nora Burgess, couples the answers are MD. In this issue of The obvious, not celebrating Oracle, we have begun to anniversaries is clearly linked highlight some of the events to divorce rates. This is not that will be taking place to to indicate that having a celebrate our anniversary as party is likely to keep you well as profiling one of our married. Anniversaries offer founding members, Dr. Leslie long will it take us to reach the opportunity to revisit Kohman. In addition to the 1000 women with ABTS happy memories from the events that will take place certification? It is interesting past, to evaluate how you at the STS Annual Meeting to think that the original have grown and changed in Phoenix in January, there small breakfast and lunch over the last year, and to will be a publication in the gatherings have swelled to think about what the future Annals of Thoracic Surgery our WTS networking events will hold for you as a couple. highlighting our anniversary at national meetings, which It is easy to see that these by celebrating our history as are frequently crowded same principles are true for an organization. and boisterous gatherings. organizations who celebrate As a busy cardiothoracic These networking events anniversaries like the Women surgeon it is easy to loose allow for the development in Thoracic Surgery. site of our organizational and expansion of the In January, we will be history, but personally as mentoring relationships that celebrating the 30th I have learned about our are common in the WTS. Anniversary of the WTS. organization I have found Additionally, our scholarship We will be honoring some it reassuring, enlightening programs have been pioneering women who and inspiring. It’s amazing growing each year, giving broke through major barriers to realize that it took nearly young trainees an individual in our career field but also 25 years for the first 200 mentorship experience. had the foresight to realize women to achieve ABTS The members of the WTS that we needed to come certification, but in the next are dedicated to seeing together as a group. As we 5 years, almost 100 more have been certified. How celebrate this anniversary Continued... FALL 2015 ORACLE 21 Continued... Figure 2 younger members succeed are we going to get there? whether it is through formal The WTS 30th anniversary is a mentorship relationships or great opportunity to remind an informal friendship and each of us about the women these relationships continue who have blazed the trail to grow which allows the WTS for those of us currently on to continue to blossom. it and it’s exciting to think I encourage each of about where that trail will you to take a little bit of take us! (figure 2) time to reflect on the 30th anniversary of the WTS, what Happy 30th Anniversary it means for the organization WTS! and what it means to you as a cardiothoracic surgeon. WTS Member, Dr. Jenifer Marks Where do you think we will be blazes a trail in 30 years from now and how Yosemite National Park

Please join us for the WTS Networking Reception and 30th Anniversary Celebration Arizona, January 25, 2016 7:00-8:00pm

in conjunction with the Additional information will be STS Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ posted about the event as soon as it’s available at www.wtsnet.org/meetings We hope to see you there!

Women In Thoracic Surgery ORACLE

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