From Fellow to Mom: Why AWIR Keeps Me Coming Back

I’ve been attending the Association of Women in Rheumatology (AWIR) National Meeting since 2018. I first learned of AWIR through Dr. Gwenesta Melton, drawn by our common ties to New Orleans and her effervescent bubbliness. Back then, I was a rheumatology fellow preparing to start my first job in private practice looking for guidance. This year, I returned as a first-time mom, leaving behind my eight-month-old daughter. Each year, my questions have shifted, evolving alongside the seasons of my life.

A Journey Through Life’s Seasons

In those early meetings, I was full of questions about launching my career such as how to run a clinic, manage tough cases, and navigate private practice. Later on, my focus turned toward career transitions, exit strategy, contract negotiations, and finding the right fit. Now, my questions revolve around something more complex: how to balance motherhood, medicine, and everything in between.

Through each of these chapters, AWIR has been a constant. Even though AWIR has experienced tremendous growth over the years, attracting more and more physicians and trainees, this conference has always felt more personal than others. There’s a special sense of community in seeing familiar faces each year, watching their journeys unfolding while reflecting on my own. We make space for each other, wherever we are on our path. That shared space, that mutual support, is the heart of AWIR.

A Community of Diverse Success

One of the most meaningful parts of AWIR is that it offers many definitions of success. There’s no single roadmap here. Instead, I see the diversity of options (academic leaders, private practice owners, physician scientists, physician moms, industry thought leaders, advocates) all sharing lessons and lifting one another up. There’s also intentional time for networking and mentorship. Sometimes I ask a question and get an answer right there. Other times, someone introduces me to the right person to talk to. That generosity of spirit is what keeps me coming back.

Advocacy That Drives Change

AWIR also plays a powerful role in advocacy. They fight for research in autoimmune disease, better patient care policies, and expanded access to rheumatology services. Through AWIR, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in both virtual and in-person advocacy on Capitol Hill. I’ve spoken with my state representatives about real obstacles I face in clinic (like step therapy and copay accumulator programs) that make it harder to care for my patients. I’ve also learned from colleagues in other states who are tackling their own battles. Practicing in Auburn, AL, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, isolated, and beaten down by our broken healthcare system. But AWIR reminds me I’m not alone, and that meaningful change is possible. It’s slow, but it’s happening. And it requires continued persistence.

Like every year before it, this year’s meeting was packed with insight, connection, and inspiration. I left feeling both grounded and energized. I’m proud to be a part of this field, and grateful to be surrounded by women who support one another professionally, personally, and persistently.

From learning the latest in autoimmune research to mentoring, advocating, sharing life lessons, or dancing with friends and rheumatologists after dinner, AWIR has it all. 

I’m already looking forward to AWIR 2026.