Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation

Jan 22, 2025

By: Gina Edwards

After having children, almost half of new mothers leave full-time STEM employment.

This statistic points back to systemic disadvantages in simultaneously navigating motherhood and an academic career. It’s an experience that Dr. Amanda Artsen, knows quite well as physician-scientist in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at Magee-Womens.

“To be a mom and a surgeon-scientist requires balancing a lot of what feels like competing priorities,” she explains. “Especially as an early-stage investigator, you’re trying to juggle getting a lab off the ground and applying for grants while also doing clinical work.”

Dr. Artsen applied to Pitt Mothers Leading Science (MLS), a leadership development and coaching program for research-intensive faculty in the health sciences who identify as mothers.

MLS was founded by Michelle Lamere in 2017 at the University of Minnesota, and the University of Pittsburgh became its first sister site when Dr. Amery Treble-Barna developed and iterated the program for the unique needs of Pitt faculty. Dr. Treble-Barna had been inspired by a colleague who echoed the truth behind the statistics –– mothers with science careers are “struggling,” and in need of support.

“We are navigating systems that often overlook the enormous pressures we face from our jobs, from society, and from ourselves,” Dr. Treble-Barna says. “These experiences often lead to feelings of overwhelm, burnout, inadequacy, and loneliness. Through MLS, scientist mothers come together to support and empower one another to make impactful changes personally and systemically, while engaging with leadership development content targeting our unique challenges.”

The yearlong program works with a cohort of a dozen mothers who are all health sciences faculty with at least 50% of their effort dedicated to research. Over the course of program, MLS participants receive training grounded in Brené Brown's Dare to Lead™ curriculum and practice peer coaching skills, as well as attend guest mentor sessions, facilitated discussions, and workshops.

For Dr. Artsen, the program felt like an accelerated time of personal reflection and development that also drove her professional growth.

“I gained a lot of confidence in my professional role as a leader, which is especially important for early-stage investigators,” Dr. Artsen says. “Imposter syndrome is a real challenge for many of us, and the program really helped me understand what drives this, while connecting to a community of people who are facing similar obstacles, which was empowering.”

Another key element of the MLS program is peer coaching, a data-supported approach to developing leaders in academic medicine:

“There is clear evidence for the impact of aligning your work and values to improve your wellbeing and professional fulfillment,” Dr. Treble-Barna says. “We develop these skills and others during the MLS program, including using mindfulness tools, expanding your network, and seeking sponsorship for career advancement.”

Reflecting on her MLS experience, Dr. Artsen says the program gave her an opportunity to also form new bonds –– and an expanded support system.

“From the very beginning, this was a non-judgmental space where we could truly be vulnerable and open up to each other, which allowed us to create close bonds fairly quickly and really talk about some of our hardest professional challenges,” she says.

While the program requires a considerable time commitment, Dr. Artsen says that it’s worth the investment.

“There were days where I had to block my clinical schedule or give up my usual OR or office time. But it was so valuable to both personal satisfaction in my work and my productivity,” she says. “If you are living according to your values then that is the end all be all. Your priorities and everything else will fall in line from there.”

To learn more about the program, including how to apply, visit the ICRE website or contact Cynthia Fela at cgf31@pitt.edu.