WIO 2024 Summer Symposium to focus on learning from challenges, celebrating successes
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When she became program committee co-chair of this year’s Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium, Anna Momont, MD, knew she wanted the meeting to focus on the challenges that women still face in the field.
Although the popularity of the WIO Summer Symposium shows the progress women have made, Momont said they are still underrepresented in areas of leadership.
“My goal was to find out how we can inspire this group, the members of Women in Ophthalmology, to even greater things and how to support them in the challenges that are specific to women,” she told Healio. “We’re going to focus on encouraging and supporting women who may want to take on new roles.”
WIO will convene for its Summer Symposium at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, from Aug. 22 to 25. WIO president Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA, said the symposium is one of the most empowering events on the ophthalmology calendar, and this year’s meeting is no different.
“The goal has always been to bring together women — and men — who support our mission to advance the goals and pursuits of women in ophthalmology,” she said. “We’re a rising sector in this wonderful specialty of ours, and we’re doing great things.”
Lisa M. Nijm, MD, JD, CEO of WIO, said it is important to build a support system for women in ophthalmology. As women take on an increasing number of leadership roles, WIO aims to provide the support and connections for success in academics, practice management and research endeavors.
“Our goal is to not only create opportunities for women ophthalmologists to move forward in their respective professional environments, but also to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in those roles,” she said.
As chair of the Summer Symposium in 2017, Nijm revamped the meeting from start to finish, leading WIO on a remarkable growth trend.
“The Summer Symposium is our signature event, and we have added numerous opportunities at the meeting such as the WIO Mentorship Program, Clinical Trials Training Program and Speaker’s Bureau to enrich the experience for our attendees,” she said. “With over 22 hours of CME, it is a unique environment to learn the latest scientific advancements in ophthalmology, hone leadership skills and return to practice rejuvenated and empowered to take on the challenges we face on a daily basis.”
Weng said attendees can expect high-yield scientific and practical sessions, as well as countless networking opportunities to catch up with old and new friends. She is particularly excited about the session on personal and professional challenges.
“I am really drawn to this one because we often tend to highlight our successes, but we actually learn twice as much from each other when we share our challenges,” Weng said. “Given the incredible culture of WIO, I can’t think of a safer or more supportive environment for that kind of exchange.”
Weng is expecting more than 1,000 attendees at the symposium. For those who cannot attend in person, WIO is offering a virtual program that is more than just a recording of the proceedings.
“It’s actually an independently planned program with opportunities to be interactive and still engage with us in Carlsbad,” she said. “We’ve worked hard to develop this as an opportunity for those who aren’t able to join us in person.”
For those able to attend in person, they get to enjoy the meeting against the backdrop of all that southern California has to offer, Weng said. Attendees are encouraged to bring their children and families.
In addition to keynote talks from leaders in ophthalmology and industry, the symposium will include classes on self-defense, Zumba and even watercolor painting. There is also a golf outing in which players of all skill levels are encouraged to join.
“It’s just a neat thing that I don’t think other meetings offer,” Momont said. “You can get together and have a chance to do something you wouldn’t usually do with other ophthalmologists.”
Visit WIO’s website to register for the symposium. Healio’s coverage of the meeting can be viewed here.
Reference:
- 2024 Summer Symposium. https://www.wioonline.org/summer-symposium/. Accessed June 27, 2024.
For more information:
Anna Momont, MD, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, anna.momont@wisc.edu.
Lisa M. Nijm, MD, JD, of Warrenville EyeCare and LASIK in Illinois, can be reached at lnijm@realworldophthalmology.com.
Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA, of Baylor College of Medicine, Cullen Eye Institute, can be reached at christina.weng@bcm.edu.
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