MWF members held an online meeting to discuss the value of MWIA to MWF, and how MWF members could be better informed of what MWIA is doing. This discussion highlighted for me how important the roles of regional vice-president (VP) and national coordinator (NC) are, and how important the channels of communication are – from the MWIA Secretariat to regional VPs and NCs and national Office staff, from regional VP to NC, and from NC to all national members. Following our meeting, as NC I have a lot to do – write a few sentences in every MWF monthly newsletter, facilitate regular articles in our biannual journal, Medical Woman, and coordinate with Office staff the sending of separate emails to every individual member with a link to the quarterly MWIA Update and notice of important MWIA regional and triennial meetings (with plenty of notice!).
I know that MWIA meetings are what most MWIA members value very highly. Two MWF members attended the Canadian Medical Women’s Centennial celebrations in September (see their report with Canada’s report). They had a wonderful time. MWF held a joint meeting with WiMIN in Belfast in October. It was a great success.
Our next MWF meeting will be in Cambridge on 16 May 2025. We are currently negotiating combining this meeting with a Northern European Regional meeting the following morning. Any MWIA member, not just members from Northern Europe, would be very welcome to attend the whole meeting, including a formal dinner in a Cambridge College on 14 May.
(www.medicalwomensfederation.org.uk )
I am sure that many MWF members will attend the MWIA triennial Congress in Cairo next October!
MWF remains very active under the leadership of Professor Scarlett McNally. We have medical student representatives in many universities and special online sessions are aimed at them (on academic medicine, leadership, careers, W/L balance etc); monthly ‘conversations’ online with prominent people (eg Professor Chris Whitty who was prominent in the Covid19 pandemic, and Dr Chris van Tulleken, who has brought the dangers of Ultra Processed Foods to the world’s attention); regular MWF podcasts: an MWF Book Group: and most recently the setting up of a GP Forum to help rescue general practice in the UK.
Dr Clarissa Fabre
National Coordinator