International Women’s Day 2025 is a call to action—an urgent reminder that, at the current pace, gender parity won’t be reached until 2158 (according to the official IWD website). That’s five generations from now. This year’s theme, Accelerate Action, challenges us to push forward, breaking systemic barriers with deliberate, swift, and meaningful action.

For women in medicine, where gender disparities still persist in leadership, pay equity, and work-life balance, accelerating action is crucial. But how do we do this in practical, everyday ways? Here are actionable steps you can take to drive change in your career and for future generations of women physicians.

Practical Ways to Accelerate Action in Medicine

1. Advocate for Yourself and Others

• Know your worth—negotiate salaries, speak up for promotions, and challenge disparities in pay and leadership opportunities.
• Sponsor and mentor other women physicians. When you gain a seat at the table, bring others along with you.
• Join or form committees dedicated to gender equity in your workplace to influence policies that promote fairness.

2. Diversify Your Career Path

• Seek out non-traditional career opportunities that align with your passions and strengths.
• Explore leadership roles in administration, entrepreneurship, education, and consulting.
• Attend networking events that focus on career diversification, such as Revitalize’s Leading Ladies of EM at ACEP.

3. Build Strong Professional Networks

• Join women-led physician organizations and online communities to share experiences, resources, and support.
• Attend conferences and workshops that emphasize leadership, negotiation, and career development.
• Collaborate on research or advocacy projects that highlight gender disparities in healthcare.

4. Advocate for Work-Life Integration

• Push for policies that support work-life balance, such as parental leave, flexible scheduling, and fair shift distribution.
• Set boundaries to prevent burnout—protect your time and energy.
• Support workplace initiatives that promote physician well-being, including peer support programs and mental health resources.

5. Call Out Bias and Drive Institutional Change

• Speak up when you witness gender bias in hiring, promotions, or daily interactions.
• Support transparent hiring and promotion practices that ensure equal opportunities for women.
• Educate colleagues on implicit bias and advocate for institutional training programs that promote inclusivity.

How Revitalize and People Always Healthcare Consulting Are Accelerating Action

At Revitalize Women Physician Circle and People Always Healthcare Consulting, we are committed to making tangible changes to accelerate gender equity in medicine. Here’s how we’re taking action:

• Mastermind Group Coaching Programs: We equip women physicians with the tools to navigate gender disparities in leadership, pay equity, and career advancement. Through mentorship, coaching, and shared experiences, we empower women to step into leadership roles with confidence.
• Career Diversification Events at ACEP: Our Leading Ladies of EM events, cohosted with The Whole Physician, bring together women who are passionate about thinking outside the box to create their dream careers. By fostering conversations on entrepreneurship, leadership, and career pivots, we are paving the way for women physicians to redefine success on their own terms.
• Expanding Leadership Development Initiatives: In 2025 and beyond, we are continuing to create spaces where women physicians can learn, grow, and lead in ways that challenge traditional career paths and accelerate progress.

Join Us in Accelerating Action

Every conversation, every negotiation, and every opportunity to uplift another woman contributes to the larger movement. This International Women’s Day, let’s commit to taking tangible steps toward gender equality in medicine. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or career growth, each action we take today brings us closer to the future we deserve.

How will you #AccelerateAction in 2025? Share your thoughts and join us in driving change!