CHICAGO – In conjunction with Women in Medicine Month, the American Medical Association (AMA)'s Women Physicians Section along with the AMA Foundation today announced the winners of the 2015 Joan F. Giambalvo Fund for the Advancement of Women research grants.
The scholarships of up to $10,000 are awarded by the AMA to research programs focused on advancing the study of women in the medical profession and strengthening the AMA's ability to identify and address the issues affecting women physicians and medical students.
“The AMA is honored to recognize two exceptional members of the medical community whose work will shed light on the issues facing women in medicine today,” said Susan R. Bailey, M.D., speaker of the AMA's House of Delegates. “As a female physician, I’m pleased to represent an organization that strives to propel the continued advancement of women in medicine.
This year’s recipients include Lucy Spalluto, M.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her research project titled “Female Faculty Development in Radiology” will focus on designing and implementing a module based educational program to promote the advancement of female faculty in academic medical centers.
“I’m thrilled and so appreciative to the AMA for giving me this opportunity,” stated Dr. Spalluto. “Ultimately, I hope to design a sustainable curriculum to promote female faculty development and retention within not only my institution but throughout academic medical centers across the nation.”
The other 2015 recipient is Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine and pediatrics at Indiana University (IU) as well as executive director of the IU National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber’s research project titled “Save a Life” will focus on suicide risk, awareness and prevention among women physicians.
The Joan F. Giambalvo Fund for the Advancement of Women was established to advance the progress of women in the medical profession and strengthen the ability of the AMA to identify and address the needs of women physicians and medical students. This fund provides scholarships of up to $10,000 to support research related to women in the medical profession. The first award was granted in 2006; to date, 21 research awards have been granted. Research topics supported through the Giambalvo fund have included flexible work options; gender differences in the practice patterns of obstetricians and gynecologists; and promotion and retention of diversity in medical education.
About the WPS
The AMA Women Physicians Section (WPS) consists of the more than 70,000 members of the AMA and aims to increase the number and influence of women physicians in leadership roles and to advocate for and advance the understanding of women's health issues. Each year, WPS celebrates Women in Medicine month to recognize the progression of women in medicine and the contributions they have made to the medical field. Read more about how you can celebrate Women in Medicine Month at AMA Wire.
