Committee on Women in Medicine and Science (COWIMS)
(Left-Right): Kim Insua de la Cruz, MD, Meg Keeley, MD, Ling Qi, PhD, Sue Pollart, MD, Dean Melina Kibbe, MD, Lynn McDaniel, MD, Kate McManus, MD, Evelyn Aboagye, MD, Ourania Preventza, MD, Alyssa Mixon, DO, Adanna Akujuo, MD, Kathryn Xixis, MD, Debora Ferreira, MD, Subhashis Banerjee, PhD
Mission
The UVA Committee on Women in Medicine & Science (COWIMS) promotes and enables the representation, development, and contributions of all individuals.
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Who We Are
Dr. Kate McManus, Chair of COWIMS
“I have a longstanding passion and interest in helping to achieve gender equity in medicine and science and in empowering women in these fields. Women in medicine and science who are empowered, encouraged, and valued improves the retention of key talent who are essential to making UVA a Great and Good university. I look forward to the opportunity to enthusiastically contribute my passion and expertise to drive significant progress towards achieving the committee’s strategic goals.” ~Kate McManus, MD
Dr. McManus joined the University of Virginia Health System and School of Medicine (SOM) in 2010, completed her Internal Medicine residency, and served as a chief resident year and Infectious Diseases fellowship at UVA. She joined the Department of Medicine (DOM) faculty as an inaugural iTHRIV Faculty Scholar in July 2017. Dr. McManus has been an active member of the SOM DOM Women in Internal Medicine Network (WIMN) group since its inception in 2015 and has served as a co-chair of the group since 2019. We are grateful for the leadership experience on behalf of women faculty that Dr. McManus brings to this position and know her experience as a faculty member active in all mission areas will greatly benefit our faculty members.
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- Dana Albon, Medicine (2027)
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- Kendall Bromley, Co-president coWIMS
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- Katie Kraichely, Medical Scientist Training Program; AFFIRM Co-president
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- Caroline Riedstra, Co-president coWIMS
Advocacy and Awards
Professional Development
Data Analytics
Programming/Events
Media
Events
Preparing for Promotion: Targeted Strategies for Advancement in the UVA School of Medicine
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Time: 12:00 noon–1:00 pm
Location: 2ABC, Pinn Hall Conference Center
Panelists include: Dana Albon, Co-chair of the COWIMS Professional Development Subcommittee and Associate Professor of Medicine; Monique Dufour, PhD, Director of Faculty Development; Robert Nakamoto, PhD, SOM Coordinator of Academic Achievement; Kim Penberthy, PhD, Co-chair of the SOM P&T committee, Co-chair of the COWIMS Professional Development Subcommittee, and Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences; and Susan M. Pollart, MD, MS, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development and Ruth E. Murdaugh Professor of Family Medicine.
Description/learning objectives: Navigating the promotion process within academic medicine can be complex. This interactive session offers targeted guidance for faculty at all career stages within the UVA School of Medicine. Participants will gain clarity on promotion criteria and timelines, learn how to craft compelling personal statements and CVs, and develop strategies for writing and soliciting strong letters of recommendation. Attendees can sign up for facilitated small-group discussions, each focused on a specific aspect of the promotion dossier, led by experienced faculty and administrators familiar with the SOM promotion process. By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify and access School of Medicine-specific promotion criteria and timeline resources appropriate to their faculty track and rank.
2. Develop a structured and impactful personal statement and CV that align with UVA promotion expectations.
3. Recognize the key components of effective letters of recommendation and apply strategies for writing and requesting promotion-supportive letters (1 CME credit)
Target Audience:
physicians and other faculty
Accreditation & Designation Statements
In support of improving patient care, the University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™: The University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Hours of Participation: The University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing awards 1 hour of participation (consistent with the designated number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ or ANCC contact hours) to a participant who successfully completes this educational activity. The University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing maintains a record of participation for six (6) years.
Faculty Disclosure/Conflict of Interest
The panelist, Dana Albon, Co-chair of the COWIMS Professional Development Subcommittee and Associate Professor of Medicine;Monique Dufour, PhD, Director of Faculty Development; Robert Nakamoto, PhD, SOM Coordinator of Academic Achievement; Kim Penberthy, PhD, Co-chair of the SOM P&T committee, Co-chair of the COWIMS Professional Development Subcommittee, and Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences; andSusan M. Pollart, MD, MS, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development and Ruth E. Murdaugh Professor of Family Medicine., do not have any personal or professional financial relationships with a commercial entity producing healthcare goods and/or services.
The University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing as a Joint Accreditation Provider adhere to the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, released in December 2020, as well as Commonwealth of Virginia statutes, University of Virginia policies and procedures, and associated federal and private regulations and guidelines. As the accredited provider for this CE/IPCE activity, we are responsible for ensuring that healthcare professionals have access to professional development activities that are based on best practices and scientific integrity that ultimately supports the care of patients and the public.
All individuals involved in the development and delivery of content for an accredited CE/IPCE activity are expected to disclose relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies
occurring within the past 24 months (such as grants or research support, employee, consultant, stock holder, member of speakers bureau, etc.). The University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing employ appropriate mechanisms to resolve potential conflicts of interest and ensure the educational design reflects content validity, scientific rigor and balance for participants. Questions about specific strategies can be directed to the University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
The faculty, staff and planning committee engaged in the development of this CE/IPCE activity in the Joint Accreditation CE Office of the School of Medicine and School of Nursing have no financial affiliations to disclose.
Disclosure of discussion of non-FDA approved uses for pharmaceutical products and/or medical devices
As a Joint Accreditation provider, the University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing, requires that all faculty presenters identify and disclose any off-label or experimental uses for pharmaceutical and medical device products. It is recommended that each clinician fully review all the available data on new products or procedures prior to clinical use.
COWIMS Honoree of the Month Series
The COWIMS Honoree of the Month feature is a once monthly series designed to highlight those who have exerted influence in fostering a better environment through advocacy or action.
Resources
May 21, 2024, COWIMS held an AAMC Early Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar: Sharing about the Application Process & Seminar Highlights. Recent UVA faculty attendees of the AAMC Early Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar shared insights about the application process and seminar highlights. This session was intended to be helpful for women who are considering any of the AAMC conferences for women faculty and mentors/sponsors who want to know more about the process and the benefits. Learn more about AAMC here. A recording of the session can be found here.
