We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of the inaugural year of SGO’s LEAD (Leadership, Engagement, and Action in Diversity) Program.
The LEAD Program, a six-month mentored pipeline initiative established by the SGO’s DIHE Committee, provides invaluable support and resources to Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) trainees, fostering their growth as future gynecologic oncologists.
Throughout the program, participants engage in virtual sessions covering essential topics such as navigating the fellowship match process, cultivating mentorship relationships, and gaining insights into the daily experiences of gynecologic oncologists across diverse practice settings. The culmination of this journey is an in-person summit held during the annual SGO meeting on women’s cancer. This summit features presentations, intimate group discussions, panel sessions, and guest speakers, providing a rich environment for networking and learning.
Feedback from our inaugural cohort has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants praising both the virtual and in-person components of the program. Many highlighted the program’s relevance in strengthening their gynecologic oncology fellowship applications and enhancing their understanding of the field’s expectations.
The overarching goal of the LEAD Program is to cultivate a cohort of junior URiM trainees passionate about gynecologic oncology, leading to a significant increase in successful URiM applicants to gynecologic oncology fellowships within five years of program initiation. To achieve this, we are committed to providing meaningful opportunities for networking, sponsorship, and mentorship, thereby expanding trainees’ exposure to the field of gynecologic oncology.
Applications for the 2024-2025 program will be open from June 24 to August 19, 2024. Monthly virtual sessions will begin in October 2024. The in-person Summit at the annual meeting, is scheduled for March 14, 2025.
For those interested in learning more about the LEAD Program, please reach out to DIHE@sgo.org.
Additionally, if you are interested in becoming a mentor for the program, we encourage you to contact Enishia Valentine-Davis at enishia.valentinedavis@sgo.org.
As a mentor, you will play a vital role in nurturing and guiding our pipeline participants, sharing your wealth of experience and expertise with the next generation of gynecologic oncologists.