Thoughtfully crafted to elevate what matters most. Unmasking: What Holds Us Back

Exploring Identity, Barriers, and Empowerment for Women Physicians (Women in Medicine)

Women physicians navigate complex professional and personal landscapes every day, balancing the demands of patient care, leadership, and societal expectations while managing their own internal pressures and ambitions. Yet too often, the very systems, mindsets, and cultural narratives we operate within create barriers to our growth, fulfillment, and wellbeing.

Unmasking: What Holds Us Back is a conference designed by women physicians, for women physicians, to explore the thoughts, habits, and systems that impede our success and the strategies to break through them. This unique event combines academic rigor, reflective practice, and retreat-style experiential learning to provide a space for personal growth, professional insight, and connection.

Through a series of interactive workshops, thought-provoking talks, and hands-on activities, participants will:

• Examine the internal narratives and perfectionist tendencies that limit confidence and professional fulfillment.

• Explore the impact of systemic pressures, misinformation, and public scrutiny on women in medicine.

• Gain practical tools to navigate professional challenges, reclaim agency, and foster resilience.

• Engage in mindfulness, reflective art, and experiential learning to reconnect with creativity, presence, and purpose.

Speakers include physicians, survivors, coaches, and thought leaders who offer expertise, lived experience, and practical strategies for thriving in medicine without sacrificing personal wellbeing.

This conference is for women physicians at all stages of their careers who are ready to unmask the obstacles holding them back, celebrate their strengths, and leave with tools to thrive personally, professionally, and creatively.

The title, Unmasking—--because in general we hide behind a mask of performance, perfection and service. Plus the obvious connection to medicine

 These are the desired outcomes

Desired Outcomes:

• Increase competence in trauma‑informed clinical practice, communication & self-care.

• Strengthen strategies for preventing and addressing physician burnout.

• Develop leadership skills for culture change and protocol redesign.

• Cultivate cross‑disciplinary networks that support sustained well‑being and equity.

•  Illuminate and address the invisible load carried by women in medicine—including administrative, emotional, and relational burdens—and provide actionable strategies to redistribute and reduce this load effectively.

• Explore the caregiver impact on women physicians (children, partners, aging parents) and equip attendees with tools to set boundaries, negotiate institutional support, and design systems that honor both professional and personal roles.

• Examine the influence of media, politics, and social media exposure on the identity and credibility of women physicians, and develop strategies to safeguard professional integrity, manage public narratives, and maintain personal well‑being in a hyper‑connected world.

• Address malpractice risk and litigation stress with concrete tactics for high‑quality documentation, risk‑aware communication, shared decision‑making, and timely escalation/referral—alongside strategies to maintain well‑being during and after claims (peer support, critical incident debriefs, and institutional resources).

• Harness the power of art and mind‑body practices to reduce collective and individual anxiety, restore creativity, and strengthen resilience—integrating expressive modalities and mindfulness into professional and personal routines.

Agenda:

April 10

2:00–4:00 PM

Gathering Place Experience

• Mindfulness

• Yoga

• Nutrition

• Guided Wellness Session

5:00–6:00 PM

Cocktail & Mocktail Hour

6:00–6:30 PM

The Experiences of the Woman Physician
Dinner to follow.

7:00–8:00 PM

Keynote CME Session
Dr. Mel Thacker — The Surgeon Coach
Topic: Imposter Syndrome (1 CME hour)

8:00–8:30 PM

Group Engagement Session:
Imposter Syndrome Reflections & Discussion

April 11

8:00–9:00 AM

Wellness CME Session:
Nutrition & Weight Lifting for the Physician Woman

9:15–10:15 AM

The Best Version of YOU:
Where Are You Exceptional?

10:30–11:30 AM

On Her Terms:
A Pediatrician’s Path to Advocacy & Impact Beyond Clinical Practice

Lunch to follow

1:00–2:00 PM

Shedding the Mask:
Breaking Barriers & Unlocking Potential for Women Physicians

2:15–3:15 PM

ACES, PACES & The Physician Woman

3:30–4:30 PM

Unmasked (Unpacked):
Our Collective Experience During Turbulent Times

4:45–5:45 PM

Unmasking the Pressure:
Science, Self‑Care, and Shedding Shame

April 12

Wellness CME Session 8-9am- Optional

9:00–9:45 AM

Facing the Spotlight:
Navigating Malpractice, False Accusations, and Professional Vulnerability as Women Physicians

9:45–10:45 AM

Lies, Likes, and Lives:
Medical Misinformation in the Digital Age
PLUS
Shamed in the Spotlight: Media Scrutiny, Online Ratings & the Gendered Burden on Women Physicians

11:00 AM–12:00 PM

When You Hate Your Patient:
The Emotional Cost of Unsustainable Practice

1:30–2:30 PM

TBA

2:30–4:00 PM

Perfection to Presence:
A Mindfulness, Art, and Self‑Compassion Workshop
Hands‑on reflection and creativity to release perfectionism and cultivate calm.

April 13 — Coaching & Group Panel

9:30–11:00 AM

Coaching + Group Panel Discussion

Lunch to Follow