Scrubs & Heels

``Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.``

As the Founders of Scrubs & Heels Foundation, we are constantly reminded of the immense value women bring to the fields of Medicine and Surgery. Yet, we also recognize the incredible potential for achieving even more when we come together as a community.

Women are exceptional physicians, equipped with advanced medical knowledge and technical skills and expertise. They dedicate their careers to advancing science, educating the next generation, delivering compassionate high-quality care, and advocating for their profession and patients.

The Challenge

 

However, medical training alone does not adequately prepare women to:

  • Build leadership and organizational skills.
  • Develop supportive professional networks.
  • Integrate professional aspirations with personal goals and life journey.
  • Explore ambitions and creative entrepreneurship beyond clinical medicine.
  • Face the gender disparities that persist from training to careers in research, clinical practice, and in administrative leadership or executive board rooms.

Gender disparity in Medicine and Surgery remains a reality. Women face unique barriers during their professional journeys and often receive less support at critical stages of their careers. Women continue to be paid less than men for equal work and are offered fewer opportunities for career advancement and leadership roles. As a result, women experience higher rates of burnout, and up to one-third leave their fields in mid-career.

Our Vision

At Scrubs & Heels, we aim to:

  • Empower women at all career stages – from trainees and fellows to seasoned providers – to achieve their professional aspirations.
  • Support women in becoming leaders within their institutions, group practices, national medical societies, editorial and advisory boards.
  • Encourage women to design fulfilling careers that align with their interests, values, and life goals.
Our Mission

The mission of Scrubs & Heels is to equip women in Medicine and Surgery with the leadership, organizational, and career advancement tools necessary for professional success. We provide practical resources and networking opportunities to help women define and optimize their unique career paths – whether in private or academic practice, industry, research, health policy, or entrepreneurship. By doing so, we aim to promote the recruitment and retention of women in healthcare and transform the healthcare system into one that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable – truly representative of the population we serve.

Our Objectives

Healthcare professionals who participate in Scrubs & Heels programs including the annual Leadership Summit and the Matrix Mentorship Program will:

 

  • Acquire leadership skills: Effective communication, conflict resolution, visionary thinking, and strategic decision-making.
  • Develop organizational skills: Project planning and execution, time management, and team building.
  • Master entrepreneurial skills: Contract negotiation, professional branding, executive presence, and financial fluency.
  • Set and achieve personal development goals: Self-reflection to understand life purpose, stress management, and self-regulation.
  • Set and achieve professional goals: Grow in research, patient care, national organizations, health policy, and advocacy.
  • Expand professional networks: Engage with diverse stakeholders and build meaningful relationships with colleagues, mentors, sponsors, and allies to foster learning, exchange knowledge, and develop collaborations that advance medicine and surgery.

Together, We Rise

At Scrubs & Heels, we believe that fostering an inclusive and supportive network of leaders and allies is key to overcoming the challenges women face in our fields. Every step toward equality, visibility, and leadership paves the way for a stronger, more equitable healthcare system. Our collective strength lies in collaboration and mentorship, empowering each woman to break through barriers and create a path for herself and for others to follow.

We are more than a community. We are a movement dedicated to change – one woman at a time.

Join Us

Together, we can transform gastroenterology and other fields of Medicine and Surgery into fields where women are heard, encouraged, promoted, and amplified. We envision an environment where women confidently advocate for themselves, their goals, their visions and design a career that allows for both professional and personal growth and a fulfilling work-life integration.