Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Women in surgery: a tweet to action

Sarah Shubeck, MD and Arielle Kanters, MD
Social media
April 17, 2018
776 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

In early April 2017, a cover of The New Yorker depicting four medical providers sparked a movement within surgery. Women surgeons claimed this illustration as a rallying cry; recreating it proudly with colleagues in the operating room and sharing their images on social media tagged with #NYerORCoverChallenge and #ILookLikeaSurgeon.

We were in our fourth year of general surgery residency when we became the mothers of two bright, curious, and strong baby girls. They were four and seven months old when we decided to capture our own photo to contribute to the growing social media movement. We thought sharing our photo would celebrate our friendship, show our support for one another as new mothers and commemorate our journey together as surgical trainees.

A few hours after tweeting our image, we were stunned to realize that our small contribution to this social media movement meant a great deal to many people. Individuals interpreted our image as a nod to family balance, an attempt at depicting “having it all,” and a feminist statement about motherhood and surgery. We were honored when people called our image “inspiring,” touched when medical students reached out for advice and called us “role models” and flattered when people said our kids were cute (although we prefer “beaming with potential”).

What we hadn’t anticipated was how these reactions and interpretations of our photo would stand in contrast to elements of our own stories. This carefully choreographed photo did not reflect instances when we remained silent while experiencing or witnessing gender-based mistreatment, our challenging journeys to becoming mothers or our failure to contribute to improving equity in surgery. It felt like we were being celebrated for something we hadn’t accomplished.

We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to train in a department of surgery committed to equity and inclusion and to be afforded immeasurable professional opportunities, but our stories are still clouded with experiences similar to many surgeons. We’ve been told that our “estrogen” is an impediment to our surgical performance, we have operated through experiencing pregnancy complications and loss, and we have experienced feeling humiliated and harassed in our workplace. We have also fallen victim to self-imposed pressures to “not complain” and “just keep our heads down” with resulting impact on our performance at work, our physical and mental health, and our families’ well-being.

But we are looking forward, and we have grown. We are proud that our daughters have made us bolder than we were before. They have taught us that we are resilient and have greater potential than those experiences have made us feel. They have given us clearer senses of purpose, stronger motivation to improve the future, and renewed dedication to ensuring equity in their future endeavors.

Our experience with the #NYerORCoverChallenge movement and the recent national outcry against gender-based mistreatment and sexual harassment (#MeToo) have given us the encouragement and an opportunity to step up. We feel it is time we acknowledge our roles in improving our environment beyond social media. We entered this conversation with a simple tweet and photo, but we now choose to embrace our opportunities as advocates in the path toward equity. We have been given a platform as surgeons, trainees, women, and mothers, and it is our privilege to accept and join this movement.

We will intentionally acknowledge that the new normal has arrived. Surgeons are now as diverse as the patients they serve. This diversity extends beyond what is visible and represents varying perspectives, beliefs, life choices, and stories. We will challenge our own implicit biases and dedicate ourselves to learning about one another.

We will stand up for ourselves and one another. We will “put our money where our tweet is”: we will lead by example and commit to speaking up, doing the right thing, and making it clear that disrespectful and misogynistic behavior is not tolerated.

We will be authentic in the image we portray. We won’t just share or retweet about respecting one another; we will act. We will champion causes that level the playing field (parental leave, lactation workplace support), write about our experiences, support our colleagues, and call on our leadership to do the same. Our social media reputations and activities will mirror our daily lives. By “liking” and “tweeting,” we commit ourselves to this movement.

We hope you will join us in committing to these tasks. Imagine what we will accomplish together if each person who liked, tweeted about, or retweeted our photo truly embraces this movement. #theFutureisBright.

Sarah Shubeck and Arielle Kanters are general surgery residents.

Image credit: Sarah Shubeck and Arielle Kanters

Prev

Here's what's wrong with time-based billing in the hospital

April 17, 2018 Kevin 6
…
Next

Gun violence in America is a multifactorial problem

April 18, 2018 Kevin 33
…

Tagged as: Surgery, Twitter

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Here's what's wrong with time-based billing in the hospital
Next Post >
Gun violence in America is a multifactorial problem

Related Posts

  • Why social media may be causing real emotional harm

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • Are negative news cycles and social media injurious to our health?

    Rabia Jalal, MD
  • How I used social media to get promoted to professor

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • How social media leads to a loss of creativity

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • Sharing mental health issues on social media

    Tarena Lofton

More in Social media

  • Physician burnout: the impact of social media on mental health and the urgent need for change

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO & Jen Barna, MD
  • From penicillin to digital health: the impact of social media on medicine

    Homer Moutran, MD, MBA, Caline El-Khoury, PhD, and Danielle Wilson
  • Blogging for beginners: tips for success in any niche

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Claire Unis, MD
  • Uncovering the hidden struggles of NYC nurses: an insider’s perspective [PODCAST]

    The Podcast by KevinMD
  • What I learned after being hacked on social media

    Cindy Tsai, MD
  • On the internet, you are looking for something to make you angry

    Judson Ellis
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

      Alice S. Y. Lee, MD | Conditions
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The alarming epidemic of physician burnout and how we can combat it

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Physician
    • A retired physician’s battle with moral injury

      Hayward Zwerling, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the secrets to effective resuscitation and overcoming obstacles

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • Georgia’s new law promoting truth and transparency in health care credentials

      Carmen Kavali, MD | Policy
    • Physician employment contracts: the key to fighting burnout and improving working conditions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • A tense family drama unfolds as a young daughter pursues unconventional career path

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 16 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Acute GvHD Risk After Allo-HCT Higher With Some Antibiotics vs Others
  • TTFields Therapy Yields OS Improvement in Second-Line NSCLC
  • Mental Health Provider Disclosed Personal Patient Info in Google Reviews
  • Oh, You Have Medicare? We'll Skip That Test.
  • Which Mask Is Best for Wildfire Smoke?

Meeting Coverage

  • TTFields Therapy Yields OS Improvement in Second-Line NSCLC
  • Upper Airway Stimulation Device for OSA Holds Up in Real-World Analysis
  • Morning Naps in Elderly People May Reflect Dementia Risk
  • Extra Follow-Up Confirms Benefit of Nivolumab in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
  • Studies Question Role of CDK4/6 Inhibitors in First-Line Advanced Breast Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Revealing America’s expansion: the dark truth of Native American suffering and unjustified abuses

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

      Alice S. Y. Lee, MD | Conditions
    • From Moscow Mule to the opioid crisis: Unveiling the tragic legacy and urgent solutions

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Meds
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The alarming epidemic of physician burnout and how we can combat it

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Physician
    • A retired physician’s battle with moral injury

      Hayward Zwerling, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the secrets to effective resuscitation and overcoming obstacles

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • Georgia’s new law promoting truth and transparency in health care credentials

      Carmen Kavali, MD | Policy
    • Physician employment contracts: the key to fighting burnout and improving working conditions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • A tense family drama unfolds as a young daughter pursues unconventional career path

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Women in surgery: a tweet to action
16 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...