Pharmafile Logo

Hear From Her: Extraordinary Women Who Are Redefining Healthcare Leadership

- PMLiVE

That’s a wrap for Season 2 of Medscape Education’s Award-Winning Podcast Series, Hear From Her: Women in Healthcare Leadership! (Not to worry, Season 3 is just around the corner.)  And it was huge! Close to 84,000 listeners from around the world tuned in, on Apple, Spotify, and Medscape, to hear conversations with some extraordinary leaders — accomplished, fearless, passionate women who are leaving big footprints in the medical world… and making a difference in our world.

A few themes echoed throughout the conversations over the Season’s 11 episodes addressing the biggest gaps in women’s health care today, one of which is that our understanding of almost all diseases and care pathways are based on studies done on men.

“There’s been very limited representation of women in clinical trials,” says Bharati Shivalkar, Senior Medical Director, Global Medical Affairs and Rare Cardiology at Pfizer, in Episode 3. “That’s what I mean when I say, A Woman Should Not be Treated as a Small Man!” And that needs to change. As the episode with the most unique visits this season — more than 25,000 and counting! — that phrase clearly caught the attention  of our listeners.

Getting more women into clinical trials is important for dermatology research, says Melinda Gooderham, MD, Medical Director of the SKiN Centre for Dermatology in Peterborough, Canada. As with many healthcare issues, skin conditions affect men and women differently, and improving treatment options for women is dependent on equal representation in clinical studies. Mercedes Diz, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Board Member at Almirall and our other guest on Episode 10, says the pharma industry is mindful about the struggle to include more women, and women of color, into its research, which can be challenging for many reasons.

Abigail Epstein, Head of Communications and Patient Advocacy at Takeda, in the UK and Ireland, agrees, adding. “You fundamentally cannot manufacture medicines for the good of the whole population if … that gender diversity and inclusion isn’t there.” In Episode 6, she and Lucy McKay, MD, Chief Executive Officer at Medics4RareDiseases, share stories about their advocacy leadership roles and shine a spotlight on the need for more education about rare diseases — which are less rare than you might think.

In addition to achieving gender parity in research studies, closing the gap in women’s health care also means educating clinicians about gender differences across all medical specialties and making sure they know the right questions to ask their patients. That was another thread running through the conversations: Do clinicians have the tools and information they need to truly understand women’s health?

In Episode 1, “Evaluating the Forces Shaping Women’s Healthcare,” Jodi Abbott, Medical Director of the Education Center for Curriculum and Outreach at the American Medical Association, and Jane Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, shared a shocking statistic: According to a 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation study, close to 20% of women in the United States ages 18 and older reported their health as fair or poor. Out of 168 million women, that’s a lot of women who feel less than well. What changes need to happen to improve women’s health — and their quality of life? And are doctors equipped to guide them?

“Once you get through the door, does your provider hear you?” asks Delgado “Does that person have the tools to understand women’s health?”

It’s a valid question, says the AMA’s Abbott, because “women’s complaints are much less likely to be listened to, and they end up being underdiagnosed and undertreated for most conditions. There’s a mismatch between the hopes and expectations of many people who enter the [healthcare] system and how most physicians are trained.” As education is Medscape’s mission we were thrilled to offer their insights to clinician-listeners around the globe.

With a global perspective in mind, Ophira Ginsburg, Senior Advisor for Clinical Research at the National Cancer Institute Center for Global Health at NIH, and Verna Vanderpuye, Senior Consultant at the National Center for Radiotherapy

Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, in Accra, Ghana, shared their findings from Women, Power, and Cancer: A Lancet Commission, whose purpose was to draw attention to the global inequities that women face with respect to cancer care.

In 2020 alone, 1 million children lost their mothers to cancer, says Ginsburg. “And that number is obviously horrifying.” In many cases those premature deaths could have been prevented if the women had access to what we consider standard prevention and early detection protocols. Listen in to Episode 2 to learn the 10 priority actions they recommend to make inroads into changing cancer patient outcomes.

Perhaps the most poignant and profound theme throughout all 11 conversations was these leaders’ commitment and determination to shift the focus in medicine to patient-centricity, where patients’ unique needs, lived experience, and lifestyle preferences are addressed. Amplifying the patient voice — their personal experiences around their disease or condition and the issues they’re facing — and creating an environment where patients are acknowledged, listened to, and respected, not only ensures they get the best care aligned with their priorities, but also provides valuable insights for clinicians moving forward.

This emerging paradigm shift in medicine dovetails perfectly with Medscape Education’s own patient-centricity initiative, led by one of our hosts, Victoria Harvey-Jones, Associate Director of Clinical Strategy at Medscape Oncology Global. Harvey-Jones collaborated on a White Paper with Lorna Warwick, CEO of The Lymphoma Coalition and a guest on Episode 4, along with Anne-Marie Baird, President of Lung Cancer Europe. (You can read the paper here.) These 2 formidable OR powerhouse leaders in patient advocacy spoke about how data-driven research forms the backbone of their recommendations, whether to policy makers or pharma execs, and how it’s helped them begin to overcome the old-fashioned view of patient advocates.

Many people see advocacy as a soft space to be in, says Baird. And still think of it as organizing cookie drives for the cancer clinic.  (Not that there’s anything wrong with cookies! she adds.)

“I’ve been in conversations that if you’re talking about advocacy, they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s lovely. I’m just going to tick my box here and say I spoke to you.’ But then something else comes up and you say, ‘Actually, yeah, I’m also a [PhD] cancer researcher.’ Then they’re like, ‘Oh, oh, oh.’ It really bugs me that you have to come with some sort of background or title in order for them to take you seriously!”

All of the accomplished, inspiring guests in Season 2 are passionate about improving women’s healthcare, which requires a 360-degree, holistic approach: looking at women’s health throughout their entire lifecycle, focusing on the nuances of female biology, and ensuring that both clinicians and patients are equipped with the education and knowledge they need. Medscape Education is proud to be working with these extraordinary women who working to make healthcare equitable, and are making a difference.

If you haven’t already listened, catch up on Season 1 and 2 here: 

Apple: https://bit.ly/4feNZS6

Spotify: https://bit.ly/46qxRsO

Medscape: https://bit.ly/3WHjahy

To stay up to date on the latest episodes, and other news and advances in medical education, follow us on LinkedIn.

About Medscape Education

Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free accredited CME and CE courses for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

This content was provided by Medscape Education

Company Details

 Latest Content from  Medscape Education 

Shaping the Future of Hematology and Women’s Health

Changes in the healthcare world are likely to limit opportunities for young researchers, especially women.Three leaders in hematology — Belinda Avalos, Sarah O’Brien, and Marty Liggett — share the initiatives...

Are Clinicians Still Feeling the Burn? A Look at HCP Mental Health and Well-Being

One of the most critical topics to address in health care today is the mental health and well-being of physicians and other healthcare professionals. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shined a...

Medscape Women’s Health Joins Supporters in Sponsorship of SWHR’s 2025 Gala

Medscape Women’s Health is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) 2025 Gala, which took place on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, celebrating 35 Years...

Dermatology in Focus: Medscape Sponsors SDNP’s 2025 National Conference

Medscape Education is a proud sponsor of the 2025 SDNP National Conference, taking place from April 30 to May 3 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa in Indian Wells,...

Medscape Education: Proud Friend of COA Sponsor at the Community Oncology Conference

Medscape Education is honored to be a Friend of COA sponsor at the Community Oncology Conference, taking place from April 28-30th in Orlando, FL. This partnership highlights our commitment to...

A Commitment to Elevating Patient Engagement and Integration

Medscape is honored to be the lead sponsor of the upcoming Measuring Patient Engagement Summit, taking place in Boston from April 29 to May 1. This event marks a pivotal...

Medscape Education Global to Join Biotechs at Swiss Biotech Day

The Medscape Education Global team is excited to announce its participation in Swiss Biotech Day, taking place in Basel from May 5-6. This marks our inaugural attendance at this event,...

Gut Check: A Game-Changing Experience at DDW 2025 with Medscape!

The countdown is on! The Medscape team is heading to San Diego for this year’s highly anticipated Digestive Disease Week (DDW) conference—and you won’t want to miss what we’ve got...

Looking Ahead: Transparency, Impact, and Instructional Design at CMEpalooza Spring 2025

Tomorrow at 2 PM ET, join Medscape for a thought-provoking Afternoon Snack Session at CMEpalooza Spring 2025, titled “Reverse Planning with Forward Thinking.” This session will spotlight how clear communication...

Vaccines Are the Most Impactful Innovation in Health Equity

As deadly as the measles outbreak in west Texas and New Mexico is the spread of vaccine conspiracy theories and misinformation. According to KFF research from November 2024, childhood vaccination...