Award Programs

Department Awards

Departmental Awards

The Center for Women in Medicine and Science (CWIMS) administers small awards to Departments and Divisions within the Medical School to promote their ability to promote gender-equitable academic and clinical environments. 

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Distinguished Women in Medicine and Science Visiting Scholar Award

The CWIMS Distinguished Women in Medicine and Science Visiting Scholar Award Program   is an initiative to support Medical School departments in prioritizing gender equity and promoting women as strong role models in the fields of academic medicine and science.  
 
Through this award program, we will provide UMN Medical School faculty greater opportunity to: 
1) Identify women as role models in their fields 
2) Normalize and outline a diversity of paths that women can take towards successful careers
3) Strengthen networks for distinguished visiting scholars to connect, collaborate on projects, and publish
 
Application Procedure:
  1. Awards are reviewed and granted on a rolling basis via an online application.
  2. Medical School departments must submit an application (link here) for a Distinguished Women in Medicine and Science Visiting Scholar Award within 120 days prior to the intended scholar visit. 
     
  3. Typical evaluation and response time is within 2-3 weeks of submission.
  4. If selected, the department will receive a $500 honorarium to be paid directly to the distinguished visiting scholar 
Award Details: 
  1. $500 honorarium will be paid directly to the distinguished visiting scholar 
  2. Eligibility 
    1. Award is available to University of Minnesota Medical School departments 
    2. Departments are eligible to receive an award once every 2 years 
    3. Visiting scholar is pre-identified and confirmed to be the primary speaker at a prestigious departmental speaking engagement (i.e. grand rounds or the equivalent) at the time of award application
    4. Visiting scholar is distinguished in their field and identifies as a woman
  3. Requirements for Sponsoring Department
    1. The speaking engagement is open to all AHC faculty, staff and students to attend
    2. A CWIMS Career Development Reception will take place during the Distinguished Visiting Scholar’s campus visit in which the visiting scholar will be asked to share her career development and trajectory with medical school faculty. Department administrators must coordinate with CWIMS administrators to schedule and promote the reception 
  4. Award Evaluation Criteria
    1. Typical event attendance 
    2. Prestige or value of the event within the Medical School and the applying department 
    3. Have not received a CWIMS visiting scholar award within the last two years

CWIMS Leadership Award for Advancing Gender Equity and Inclusion in Medicine and Science Fields

This award was developed to recognize an individual within the Center for Women in Medicine and Science Action Groups who have made significant contributions to the advancement of gender equity and inclusion at the University of Minnesota, Medical School. 
 
Criteria:
  • Expand knowledge about and/or opportunities for women, transgender people, and gender non-conforming people in medicine and sciences.

  • Positively influence the careers of women, transgender people, and gender non-conforming people in medicine and sciences.

  • Serve in an outstanding and/or leadership capacity within the Center for Women in Medicine and Science. 

  • Provide mentorship to increase the awareness of the need for women, transgender people, and gender non-conforming people in medicine and science

Eligibility:
  • Current University of Minnesota Medical School faculty may be nominates 
  • Recognizes current and/or ongoing work (administrative, educational, research, or service) the bolsters the efforts of the Center for Women in Medicine and Science 

Recipients: 

  • 2023 Rahel Ghebre, MD and Sade Spencer, PhD
  • 2021 Rebecca Thomas, MD, MHS and Rebekah Pratt, PhD
  • 2020 Sima Patel, MD 
  • 2019 Anne Joseph, MD, MPH and Jill Siegfried, PhD
Dr. Sima Patel Award Winner

Faculty Awards

The Center for Women in Medicine and Science (CWIMS) administers small faculty awards to recognize a faculty member's extraordinary commitment to advancing gender equity and awards for career development training.