Becoming a surgeon is no easy feat, no matter who you are. It requires many years of dedication, grueling hours, fierce competition, and belief. Women, unfortunately, face realities that match and often exceed those of their counterparts. That’s why community is so critical for women in surgery.
It was this insight that led Intuitive to launch the Women in da Vinci Surgery Symposium five years ago. The event had humble beginnings with less than a dozen surgeons the first year, then gathering remotely through the COVID years.
Still, the powerful effects held strong and the 2023 event brought nearly 200 women together. In the setting of sunny San Diego, California, a mix of robotic surgeons and hospital executives gathered for two days of content, connection, and commitment.
The idea is both simple and profound. Foster a community of female surgeons who empower one another through networking, learning, growing, and celebrating achievements together. This was not your typical surgical conference—the difference was visceral. There were no clinical tracks. No breakouts. No accredited courses.
Instead, one large room was filled with stories of being tested and triumph, of professional successes, of leveraging data to prove one’s value and drive change, and of personal challenges in every shape and size. One by one, through intimate interviews and moments on stage, these incredible women detailed their lived experiences.
The audience took in stories of thriving surgery programs and deeply moving stories of patients’ lives touched for the better. There were also cancer survival stories and several stories about men telling women they could not and would not ever become surgeons because ‘women just don’t have it in them.’ Dr. Sharona Ross of AdventHealth shared, “The challenges start with being a woman in surgery because it’s a very male dominated field. I was afraid to say I had kids or that I was pregnant.”
They shared stories of abuse by men in the operating room, of assault in medical closets, and about the U.S. military dangling the carrot of medical school support then moving the goal posts on deployment—always promising the last move would be the last move. Stories were shared about babies being born and pregnancies being hidden because many were told, ‘a pregnant woman is not a worthy investment.’
Tears streamed down faces as one woman told the story of opening her own practice, having a baby, then losing her husband to suicide shortly thereafter. There was a knowing alertness in the room when someone else showed, not told, their black eye while holding their very young daughter. The room was full of knowing nods and active empathy. These stories weren’t shared for sympathy, but rather to demonstrate survival and possibility. For every “no,” there was a ballroom filled with “watch me do it anyway.”
Connection, community, sharing lessons from inside and outside of the hospital, and learning from one another—these were the stated desires of the audience. The Women in da Vinci Surgery Symposium delivered this and much more. On what she’d love to transfer to her colleagues, peers, residents, and fellows, Dr. Laila Rashidi of MultiCare Health and facilitator of the 2023 symposium advised, “Know who you are, respect yourself, and know your worth.”
There was a consistency with every story shared during the event whether it was on stage, in the hallway, over a meal, or in the restroom—Intuitive is paving the way for success. The audience, these incredible women, were and are hungry for this exact type of networking opportunity. Intuitive created a safe space for them to discuss the ins and outs of their practices, their challenges, and their successes—all so they could learn from each other and build one another up.
Together, the room broke down barriers from a vantage point of vulnerability. Trials and tribulations were shared and new foundations for confidence and ability were laid. The voices of inner critics were silenced—or dampened, at least. Practical solutions for balancing it all with dignity were discussed. The advice was vast and varied with topics ranging from responses to someone behaving badly within the practice, to creating systems and using tools like the My Intuitive application.
The audience heard concrete examples from a powerful collection of speakers and panelists who’ve leveraged Intuitive’s offerings to track surgeries, success rates, and patient time in the hospital, then used their data to make a stronger case for expanding their robotic programs. The opportunity to hear perspective from the female hospital executives in the room—their responsibilities, how they strategize, and the impact of their decisions on the big picture—was unique and impactful.
The lessons learned and shared help women in robotic surgery and in executive roles prove their success—their value—in a way that can’t be disputed. It’s hard to accuse someone of making an emotional argument when they’re putting graphs and hard facts in front of you. The point is not to prove that women are better than men, but rather to provide everyone the tools necessary to learn, grow, teach, and succeed regardless of gender, status quo, or politics.
There was a deep sense of caretaking in the room—knowing, feeling, sensing. And while no two stories were perfectly alike, there was no comparison happening—no gross ego to be found. In fact, it was the complete opposite. These women upheld a sense of duty to themselves and to one another. Where they could easily be jaded and selfish because of what they had been through, instead they were generous.
Look for more Intuitive stories on leadership, problem solving, and impact at the point of possibility™.