Manson herself graduated from medical school 20 years ago and has two children, ages 12 and 10. When she had her first child, she was still on the junior faculty. Thanks to Harvard programs that provided mentoring, help with child-care, salary support and flexibility in promotion schedules, she advanced to associate and then full professor and now serves as chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, she said. It was a very demanding time of great personal sacrifice. Mentoring programs are crucial, De Angelis agreed.
Mentors open doors.
Breaking into the group doesn't occur by accident. More women also need to assume leadership positions, she said. To ensure that happens, at least two or three women should be appointed to every medical school promotion and search committee, she said.